Championship wrap: Palace thrashed, Watford held

Promotion-chasing Crystal Palace were hammered by Birmingham City in the Championship on Friday, while Watford drew.

Ian Holloway’s Palace side, who sit fourth, suffered a disappointing 4-0 loss to Birmingham at Selhurst Park.

Nathan Redmond, Ravel Morrison and Shane Ferguson netted to go with a Damien Delaney own goal as Birmingham recorded a third straight win.

Redmond gave the visitors a 24th-minute lead, striking a low left-footed effort into the bottom corner from just inside the area.

It was 2-0 eight minutes later as Delaney headed a corner into his own net under pressure from Nikola Zigic.

Birmingham added a third just after the hour-mark as Mitch Hancox’s cutback found Morrison in acres of space and the midfielder slid his finish into the bottom corner.

The points were sealed in style on 68 minutes as Ferguson curled a stunning 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.

At Vicarage Road, third-placed Watford conceded late in a 3-3 draw against Burnley.

A Fernando Forestieri brace appeared to have Gianfranco Zola’s men headed for victory, but Sam Vokes struck a stoppage-time equaliser for the visitors.

Bristol City remain four points from safety after they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Derby County at Pride Park, where Jeffrey Hendrick, Jamie Ward and Ben Davies were on the scoresheet.

A 10-man Leicester City saw their winless run extended to six matches after a 1-0 loss at home to Millwall, who had Alan Dunne score the winner.