Football: Chris Wood boosts Burnley hopes in English Premier League

Chris Wood (left) heads in Burnley's equaliser at Bournemouth yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

All White prominent as Clarets clinch win and close in on Premier League survival.

Kiwi striker Chris Wood has aided Burnley's bid for survival from relegation in the English Premier League.

Wood put in a man-of-the-match display in Burnley's 3-1 win at Bournemouth, scoring his side's opening goal and setting up another as they moved eight points clear of 18th-placed Cardiff City.

The All Whites target man now has eight goals in the Premier League this season, including some pivotal strikes which look likely to help keep Burnley afloat in the top flight for another season.

After Ashley Barnes scored an own goal, Wood's header put them back on level terms, and Ashley Westwood had them in front by halftime. Barnes netted the third after Wood cut the ball back to him.

"We stayed clear-minded and the players responded with a calmness and did all the things you have to do to win a game," said Burnley manager Sean Dyche.

Also on the brink of safety are Crystal Palace, with a penalty from Luka Milivojevic giving them a 1-0 victory at Newcastle.

Palace moved 11 points clear of danger with five games remaining, while Newcastle remain seven points above the relegation zone.

Already-relegated Huddersfield suffered another loss, with Jamie Vardy scoring twice as Leicester thrashed them 4-1 for a fourth successive league win.

Youri Tielemans and James Maddison also scored for Brendan Rodgers' seventh-placed side.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus sent quadruple-chasing Manchester City into the FA Cup final by sealing a 1-0 victory over Brighton.

Returning to the scene of City's League Cup triumph in February, the forward met Kevin De Bruyne's cross with a diving header in the fourth minute of the Wembley semifinal.

City were fortunate to finish the game with 11 men after Kyle Walker pushed his head towards Brighton forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh in the 32nd minute. Walker was shown only a yellow card and survived a VAR review.

City will play Wolverhampton or Watford, who met overnight, in their first FA Cup final since 2013, when Roberto Mancini's side were beaten by Wigan.

By the time the five-time FA Cup winners contest the May 18 final, Pep Guardiola will be hoping to have successfully defended the Premier League, which ends a week earlier.

City also remain in contention for a first Champions League title. Guardiola's side plays Tottenham in an all-English quarter-final which starts with the first leg in north London on Wednesday.