Brighton 4 Crystal Palace 1: Fans call for Roy Hodgson’s head as Seagulls thrash fierce rivals to pile pressure on boss
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CHANTS of “we want Hodgson out” rang out from livid Crystal Palace fans as they were demolished by arch-rivals Brighton.
Pressure is mounting on the Eagles boss and the club’s owners after they suffered a huge pasting at the Amex to make it just three wins in their last 15 games.
Banners aimed at the owners, reading “Parish and co, it’s time to go” and “no shared vision, no structured plan. Parish OUT, Yanks OUT” were also unfurled in the away end.
The scathing attack from the travelling fans was launched after an appalling two minutes which saw goals from Jack Hinshelwood and Facundo Buonanotte to make it 3-0 in the 33rd and 34th minutes.
Captain Dunk was on target with a bullet header just two minutes and 22 seconds in after Pascal Gross’ inch-perfect corner.
And Joao Pedro lashed in the fourth on 84 minutes and celebrated by counting one, two, three, four on his fingers before miming slicing a throat as Brighton killed Palace off.
This result had been written in the stars for Brighton after they suffered a 4-0 pasting of their own at relegation scrapping Luton in midweek.
Roberto De Zerbi had called for a reaction from his players and said this was the perfect opportunity for his struggling Seagulls to get back on track.
It was fitting that local lads, Dunk and Hinshelwood, with Brighton’s blue and white colours coursing through their veins, would hit the first two.
Dunk hit the opener and this had all the hallmarks of a derby classic as referee Simon Hooper booked De Zerbi just six minutes in for complaints over what looked like a handball from Daniel Munoz after a sliding tackle on Joao Pedro.
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Things went from bad to worse for Palace as Deadline Day signing Adam Wharton was called into action to replace Marc Guehi who injured his knee just before the half-hour mark.
The floodgates were opened and a passing sequence fell to Tariq Lamptey whose cross fell to Hinshelwood’s noggin to coolly head home.
Just after the restart, newbie Wharton was dispossessed allowing Gross to tee up 19-year-old Buonanotte who slotted in.
It sparked bedlam at the Amex as the players celebrated with the boisterous home fans as De Zerbi and his coaching staff embraced in a group cuddle.
Palace fans chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” at Hodgson when Michael Olise lasted just nine minutes before being injured after being subbed on, prompting more of their fans to the nearest exits.
There was a glimmer of hope for the visitors when Jean-Philippe Mateta sliced a header into the net after being teed up by Joachim Andersen on 71 minutes.
But it was curtains when Joao Pedro lashed in his 19th goal of the season after a delicious link up with Danny Welbeck.
