Burnley looked finished. Down 2-0 after just half an hour, with Jørgen Strand Larsen scoring his first goals for Crystal Palace, it pretty much felt like Scott Parker’s team were about to tie their old record: 17 top-flight games without a win, a streak that’s haunted them since 1890. For Burnley fans, the past three months have been brutal. Then, out of nowhere, everything flipped in six wild minutes right before halftime.

Hannibal Mejbri pulled one back. Jaidon Anthony levelled it. Then Jefferson Lerma, of all people, knocked in an own goal. Just like that, Burnley snatched only their second away win since promotion. It keeps their survival hopes alive, barely, but Parker knows they’ll need a few more miracles like this to actually stay up.

For Palace, this was a harsh wake-up call. Their big win over Brighton had just snapped a 12-game winless spell, and for a while, it looked like Oliver Glasner’s side were cruising to only their third home victory of the season, something that would’ve eased their relegation fears. But sloppy defending let Burnley right back in.

Burnley’s luck before kickoff didn’t exactly scream “comeback”. Parker had never won a league game in London as an away manager, and the team bus got stuck in traffic, pushing kick-off back by ten minutes. Palace, for their part, hadn’t lost at home to a promoted side since Sunderland thrashed them 4-0 back in 2017.

When Strand Larsen smashed in a gorgeous ball from Adam Wharton and then dived to head in Lerma’s cross after Kyle Walker messed up, it just seemed like Burnley were doomed.

But then Mejbri gave the visitors a lifeline, beating Dean Henderson with a sharp finish. Suddenly, Burnley were level. There was some debate about whether Lesley Ugochukwu handled the ball before setting up Anthony to score, but nobody could argue with the bottom corner finish – no chance for the keeper.

Then came the third: Bashir Humphreys’ header was stopped by Henderson, but Lerma could only turn the rebound into his own net. Palace trudged off at halftime to boos. Glasner sent them back out early, probably after some choice words in the dressing room.

Even with £35 million man Brennan Johnson on the pitch, Palace couldn’t break down Burnley’s defence. Daichi Kamada missed a decent chance, and Martin Dubravka’s save in stoppage time kept out Ismaïla Sarr. In the end, it was Burnley’s small but loud travelling support celebrating. Somehow, their team had pulled off a rare and badly needed win.

On a night when James Milner matched Gareth Barry’s Premier League appearance record, his old club Aston Villa handed Fabian Hürzeler another headache. Tyrone Mings, making his 200th Villa appearance, saw his late header bounce in off Jack Hinshelwood with just four minutes left. That was enough to beat Brighton and keep their rough patch going.

Honestly, Villa were flat. Unai Emery barely reacted to the goal. Brighton actually looked more likely to score; Ferdi Kadioglu rattled the crossbar, and Milner almost nicked one near the end. For Hürzeler, who’s feeling the pressure at just 32, that’s now one win in the last 13 league matches.

Both teams needed something to cheer about, but Brighton needed it more. Losing at home to Crystal Palace last time only turned up the heat on Hürzeler, and some Brighton fans even chanted against him. Thomas Frank's leaving Tottenham was another reminder that managers don’t last long these days. Brighton always seemed like they had it figured out, but now? You have to wonder how much time Hürzeler has left.

He didn’t shy away from big calls. Carlos Baleba got booked almost instantly for a lazy challenge, and after just 22 minutes, Hürzeler took him off. Milner came on to a warm round of applause for his record-equalling 653rd top-flight game. Baleba slumped into the dugout, pulling his shirt over his face. You couldn’t blame him; some fans probably wanted to hide, too. Hürzeler literally covered his eyes after Joel Veltman’s early foul throw. Brighton barely touched the ball inside Villa’s box in a dull first half. Villa weren’t much better, but Jadon Sancho at least tried to make things happen. His shots got blocked, and Ollie Watkins headed wide from an Ian Maatsen cross. Danny Welbeck even managed to snuff out an Emi Martínez clearance before Villa finally managed a real shot. Emi Buendía’s effort deflected just wide right before half-time. Half the Holte End thought it was in, but the ball had just smacked the advertising boards.

That’s how the game went. Kaoru Mitoma curled one off target, Emery grimaced as Amadou Onana blasted high into the stands, and Kadioglu gave everyone a jolt by smashing the bar, though Martínez helped, getting a glove to it. Welbeck set him up at the edge of the box, and the Turkish full-back hammered a swerving shot on goal, only for Martínez to tip it onto the woodwork.

Right before the goal, Mings headed away a tricky cross from Brighton sub Harry Howell, and Tammy Abraham went down softly in the box. It looked like the game would just fizzle out into a goalless draw, which honestly would’ve fit the mood. But then Mings showed up at the front post, Hinshelwood’s deflection did the rest, and Villa snatched the win at the very end.