Crystal Palace 0-2 Bournemouth: Cherries continue good form with victory at Selhurst Park

Roy Hodgson believes Crystal Palace fans “have been spoiled” after they reacted to a home defeat against Bournemouth by booing their side off.

Marcos Senesi was left unmarked to head in at the far post midway through the first half after Ryan Christie’s corner was flicked on by Luis Sinisterra.

Bournemouth then made sure of the win in second-half stoppage time when Kieffer Moore stooped to head home the second after a sharp counter-attack.

The Palace supporters voiced their disapproval at the end of the game and an object was thrown at Hodgson from the crowd as he made his way towards the tunnel.

“The fact is, the fans have been spoiled here in recent times,” he told Amazon Prime Video. “They’re used to seeing us do very well at home and get good results. This year, we’ve not been able to do that.”

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Hodgson added: “All our efforts, all our work, all our toughing it out to keep us in the game didn’t create enough goal chances and, as a result, the fans are unhappy because they came here expecting us to blow this tiny Bournemouth team away.

“But this tiny Bournemouth team turned out to be a very good one.

“I think the players’ efforts in the second half were worthy of some sort of support really. But the frustration is, [the fans] came tonight thinking this was going to be an easy win for Crystal Palace and it turned out to be a home defeat.

“We can’t force the fans to stay behind them in those moments. We can’t get them to do what they are so famed for doing if they chose not to do that.”

In a lively start, Palace forward Jordan Ayew’s shot was turned over the bar and Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo’s effort was tipped around the post prior to Senesi’s opener.

Palace could have equalised almost immediately after going behind. Ayew’s shot was pushed out by Cherries goalkeeper Neto but Odsonne Edouard lost his feet at the crucial moment with the goal at his mercy as he followed in for the rebound.

Hodgson’s side dominated possession without offering much of a threat for the rest of the first half – but were inches away from an equaliser soon after the break.

Jefferson Lerma latched on to a chip over the top but the former Bournemouth midfielder’s fierce strike came back off the post.

That was as close as Palace came, though, as they failed to register a shot on target in the second half. Bournemouth were happy to sit back and let the home side try to break them down.

They rarely looked likely to do so and Andoni Iraola’s side secured the three points in the first minute of added time as Moore met Philip Billing’s cross at the back post.

While Bournemouth’s form is on the up, defeat for Palace is their fifth in seven league games.

Palace slump goes on as Cherries continue to climb

Victory for Bournemouth puts them level on points with Palace but the mood around the two clubs could not be more different.

The visitors, after a slow start to life under Iraola, are flying. Since beating Burnley for their first win of the campaign at the end of October, their only losses have come against Liverpool, in the Carabao Cup, and Manchester City.

Only a last-minute Aston Villa equaliser at the weekend has prevented them making it four wins on the trot since losing at Etihad Stadium.

At Palace, they were nowhere near their best going forward and spent long spells camped inside their own half in the second 45 minutes. For the most part, though, they were very comfortable and held on for a win that moves them nine points clear of the relegation zone.

For the home side, though, this was another evening of frustration as they suffered a third straight home defeat.

Without the influential Eberechi Eze, they rarely looked capable of breaking through a stubborn Bournemouth defence.

Michael Olise and Ayew had their moments but that was the issue – they were just moments. There were only flashes of individual quality rather than any clear plan to pick the Cherries apart as the home fans grew exasperated.

“I mean we’ve punched above our weight for a number of years now,” Hodgson said.

“We’ve kept this team in the league for a number of years, but the fact is we are still in a situation where every game for us has got to be a fight. Every game for us has got to be street fighting.

“We need the fans of Crystal Palace as we know them, because without them it will become really, really hard for us, because the players need them, so I suppose my point, if I’m making a point at all, is don’t desert us because it’s a bad moment.”

The gap between Palace and the bottom three is such that the alarm bells will not be ringing just yet but with Liverpool and Manchester City up next, life is not getting any easier for Hodgson’s team any time soon.

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