Crystal Palace have recorded a dominant 4-0 victory over Hull City to condemn the Tigers to relegation from the Premier League.
Goals from Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke, Luka Milivojevic and Patrick van Aanholt secured Palace’s survival in style, while leaving their opponents to follow Sunderland and Middlesbrough into the Championship.
All of Marco Silva’s plans went out of the window as early as the third minute when a mis-kick from Andrea Ranocchia enabled Zaha to run through on goal and finish confidently past Eldin Jakupovic from 12 yards out.
With 11 minutes of the first half remaining, Palace extended their lead through Benteke, who met Andros Townsend’s inswinging corner to head powerfully into the net from close range.
Ahead of the restart, Silva introduced both Shaun Maloney and Jarrod Bowen in an attempt to get back into the match but like in the first half, they were unable to turn their possession into any sustained pressure.
Kamil Grosicki fired high and wide from distance and Bowen miscued a half-volley at the back post but aside from those opportunities, Palace remained comfortable and more likely to net a third.
A raking pass from Zaha found the run of Benteke but after he chested the ball into his path, he sent a volley into the side-netting from 14 yards.
Palace continued to press for another goal and with six minutes remaining, they were gifted the ideal chance to achieve that when Michael Dawson fouled Jeffrey Schlupp inside the penalty area.
Milivojevic was given the responsibility from 12 yards and he made no mistake in sending Jakupovic the wrong way to net his second goal in an Eagles shirt.
In the final minute of normal time, Palace found a fourth as a demoralised Hull looked beaten, with James McArthur supplying a pass through to Van Aanholt who slide the ball under Jakupovic from 10 yards out to cap a memorable afternoon for Sam Allardyce’s team.
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