Palace manager Roy Hodgson, 70, and at an age when many seek cardigans, slippers, warm fires and nightly cocoa, is still breathing life into a side many thought a spent force.

An opening goal by pine-appled haired Bakary Sakho continued a remarkable recovery under his reign.

He has now chalked 25 points from a possible 19 games and heading for a £1million bonus if Palace avoid relegation.

It started as cat-and-mouse, few openings, hopeful, but spurned chances with neither side taking the high ground until Sakho struck.

Palace had Wilfried Zaha weaving his magic but striker Christian Benteke again looked labouring until his wonderful 21st minute pass put Sakho clear to by-pass Phil Bardsley and squeeze the ball home.

Burnley, after beating Stoke to go fourth in the table haven't won a match. They were all clinical in white, holding, breaking but without any gung-ho gusto.

They are a side reactive, rather than pro-active. It is a still a style that suits, admired also and ensured not being wallowed by the sharks.

They improved in the second half but they were never at full pelt and Palace could have wrapped it up earlier if they hadn't wasted their usual catalogue of chances.

Burney defender Ben Mee denied Palace a second two minutes after Sakho's strike with a brave challenge to hook the ball off the goal-line from the out-stretched foot of James McArthur after Zaha had flicked over the head of Pope.

After a tough Christmas schedule which almost saw them end Manchester City's winning run, perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised an under-strength Crystal Palace side failed to raise a leg at Brighton on Monday night.

Once upon a time, a 'local' derby in the third round of the FA Cup, under lights and in front of the cameras, would've been enough to ensure a full-strength team and commitment from the off.

Instead, we were presented with a patched-up Palace who only hauled themselves into the game thanks to a wonder strike from Sako before work was undone with some shoddy defending late on.

Hodgson can't continually rely on Zaha to get them out of trouble, inspire moves.

Burnley are not a great Premier League force but they always had a menace they could hurt. Palace defended desperately for their win.

Closer inspection reveals Burnley's performances don't appear to have dipped significantly in what's been a winless four weeks, but facing Tottenham, both Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Huddersfield softened them up sufficiently for Palace to win.

Burnley have impressed many this season, their manager Sean Dyche receiving rightful plaudits, but yesterday they seemed to run out of steam.

They created openings but without any conviction and all Palace had to do with batten hatches, although it needed a brave save from Palace keeper Wayne Henessey to keep out Ashley Barnes near the end.

Palace defender James Tomkins was heroic as Burney their stage a late rally. All they needed to do was batten hatches and hope it worked.