Jeffrey Schlupp’s second half goal was enough to send Crystal Palace fifth in the league despite playing the majority of the match with ten men.

Mamadou Sakho’s red card for a reckless lunge on Adam Smith on 20 minutes made life difficult for Roy Hodgson’s men who already had a limited amount of defenders to call upon.

Schlupp, on for the injured Patrick van Aanholt in the first half, fired home with 15 minutes to go against a Bournemouth side lacking creativity.

The result gave Palace back to back wins for the first time since September and lifts them to within four points of the top four.

Poor Opening

Despite the Holmesdale Fanatics’ best efforts the opening 20 minutes was as flat a Premier League tie you’ll see this season.

Played at a training ground pace it wasn’t until Sakho’s follow through on Adam Smith which produced the red card there was anything noteworthy to report.

Patrick van Aanholt compounded Hodgson’s defensive problems when he limped off after half hour, a headache the manager could do without with Joel Ward, Scott Dann and Gary Cahill already in the treatment room.

A man up it wasn’t until five minutes before the break the visitors mustered a shot on target.  

Phillip Billing tamely striking Dominic Solanke’ s cut back straight at Vicente Guaita.

Hodgson introduced James McCarthy at the break at Andros Townsend’s expense as the Palace manager conceded they’d be dropping deeper in the second 45.

Backs To The Wall

The Cherries nearly took the lead in the opening seconds of the half but Martin Kelly, deputising for the injured Ward got his toe to Harry Wilson’s dangerous cross just as his namesake Callum was waiting to tap home at the back post.

After weathering Bournemouth’s early second half storm Palace grew into the game in large thanks to Zaha and Jordan Ayew who dragged them up the pitch.

They deservedly took the lead on 76minutes as Schlupp was given the space to run at the Cherries defence before firing low past Aaron Ramsdale.

Looking for an equaliser the visitors could only muster efforts from distance but Vicente Guaita was more than a match for Jefferson Lerma’s strike from the edge of the box.

Palace clung on and in truth never looked like conceding as Howe’s side looked bereft of ideas against a patched up, albeit well organised Eagles backline.

TEAMS:

Crystal Palace: Guaita, van Aanholt (Schlupp 30’), Kelly, Sakho, Tomkins, Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur, Zaha, Townsend (McCarthy 45’), Ayew (Subs: Hennessey, Schlupp, Benteke, Camarasa, Wickham, McCarthy, Riedewald)

Bournemouth: Ramsdale, Ake, Rico (Francis 62’), Smith, Mepham, Lerma, Billing(Cook 80’), Groeneveld (Fraser 63’), H Wilson, C Wilson, Solanke (SUBS: Boruc, Francis, Gosling, Cook, Stacey, Fraser, Simpson)