Burnley piles pressure on De Boer

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Shanghai Daily, September 11, 2017
Adjust font size:

Burnley's Chris Wood scores the game's only goal against Crystal Palace during their English Premier League match at Turf Moor in Burnley, northwest England, yesterday.



Frank de Boer's position as Crystal Palace manager looked in more jeopardy yesterday after his team lost 0-1 at Burnley for a fourth straight defeat to open the English Premier League season.

The goal that could hasten the departure of De Boer was shambolic from Palace's point of view, with Lee Chung-yong's back-pass from the halfway line pounced on by Chris Wood in the third minute.

The New Zealand striker shot first-time from 35 meters past Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who was stranded outside his area, for his second goal in as many games since joining from second-tier Leeds.

Palace is the first team since the EPL era began in 1992 to lose its first four games of a season. The team still hasn't scored a goal this season as it struggles to adapt to a new and more expansive style of play under De Boer, the former Netherlands defender who took charge in the offseason following the departure of Sam Allardyce.

Palace dominated the second half at a rainy Turf Moor but had no width or end product. Its best chance fell in the 89th to Scott Dann, who glanced a header wide from inside the six-yard box. De Boer turned away in disgust and slumped into his seat in the dugout with his hands in his pockets.

Burnley played for nearly an hour with substitute goalkeeper Nick Pope after Tom Heaton was helped off with a left shoulder injury.

If De Boer's tenure at Palace is cut short in the coming weeks, it will be his second successive failure after lasting just 84 days at Inter Milan last season.

On Saturday, London clubs' erratic start to the season improved with victories for Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal but Manchester sides continued to make the early running, with United and City leading the way on 10 points each.

United surrendered its 100 per cent record in a lively 2-2 draw at Stoke City after Pep Guardiola's City had trounced 10-man Liverpool 5-0 to replace its neighbor at the top for a few hours.

Chelsea had a 2-1 win away to Leicester City in the meeting of the previous two seasons' champions while Tottenham's Harry Kane reached 100 goals for the club with a freak opening effort in the comfortable 3-0 win at Everton, adding a second later.

The win pushed Spurs into the top five and provided a boost ahead of their opening UEFA Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, where they are playing home league games this season but have yet to win one.

Their north London rival Arsenal, heavily criticized after defeats by Stoke City and Liverpool, was an easy winner at home to struggling Bournemouth, prevailing 3-0.

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
ChinaNews App Download
Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Enter the words you see:   
    Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter