Some nights burn into your memory like fire. Selhurst Park has seen it all — glory, despair, defiance, and heartbreak. But nothing compares to watching your team hand a victory to the opposition on a silver platter. That’s not just disappointment. That’s betrayal. That’s chaos manifesting in front of the fans who bleed red and blue.
Crystal Palace is supposed to be more than just eleven players on a pitch. This club is resilience personified, a fortress built on fight, courage, and history. And yet, last night, in a span of seven ruthless minutes, all of that pride crumbled. A two-goal lead turned into a freefall, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I watched Jefferson Lerma like a hawk, and I’m telling you — it was a disaster. Not a slip, not a lapse — a meltdown. That own goal? Criminal. His positioning? Non-existent. The composure you need from a senior midfielder? Gone.
“That was shocking from Lerma — absolutely shocking.”
He’s meant to command, to lead, to stop moments like this from happening. Instead, he allowed Burnley, a team struggling for form, to breathe, fight, and steal three points. If I were Oliver Glasner, I’d tell him to pack his bags and not set foot on the pitch until he earns the right.
“If you’re not performing, step aside. Palace can’t afford passengers like that.”
And let’s not sugarcoat it — this wasn’t just a bad game. This was a meltdown. Palace fans watched in horror as their team collapsed, turning confidence into panic, and structure into chaos. Senior players vanished. Leadership disappeared. Lerma was at the heart of it.
- Two-goal lead surrendered in seven minutes
- Midfield completely out of control
- Own goal that handed Burnley an undeserved win
- Fans frozen in disbelief, trust evaporated
- A warning sign for the rest of the season
Jamie Carragher was spot on when he said:
“They were cruising — and one mistake turned into chaos.”
Oliver Glasner tried to defend his man, saying Lerma is a warrior, but let me tell you — a warrior doesn’t allow a team to implode. Not in this league. Not at Selhurst Park. Mistakes happen, yes, but this wasn’t a mistake. This was a collapse, a catastrophe, and it needs consequences.
I’m telling it straight — Palace cannot continue to allow players to drift through games like this. Youth, hunger, energy — that’s what this team needs now. Someone like Adam Wharton deserves a chance while Lerma tries to find his feet again.
“One mistake isn’t just a mistake — it can change a club’s season. And last night, it did.”
Selhurst Park is sacred ground. Its terraces have heard chants of victory, screams of heartbreak, and silence heavier than defeat. Nights like this shake the club to its core. And if action isn’t taken, if accountability isn’t enforced, then they won’t just lose matches — they’ll lose the identity that makes Palace Palace.
Jefferson Lerma must respond. He must fight to prove he deserves that shirt. Because in this league, excuses don’t save you. Performance does. And last night, his performance was nothing short of chaotic, catastrophic, and unacceptable.
