AFC Bournemouth’s visit to south London last December was the first top flight clash shown live via Amazon Prime. Incidentally, tonight’s battle on the south coast was the first Premier League game screened live by the BBC.
Clearly, Bournemouth v Crystal Palace is a meeting favoured for broadcasting history. This evening’s spectacle proved why. If Jeffrey Schlupp’s surging run to victory with only nine teammates was Amazon’s dramatic fixture justification, then tonight’s was a step further for the BBC.
The Eagles appeared to have saved 105 days of anticipation for their historic return, and dismantled their hosts through a pair of sensational goals to account for the still, passion-sapping silence on the terraces.