A rejuvenated Crystal Palace side come from behind to thrash relegation rivals Leeds United 5-1 at Elland Road.

The hosts got off to an ideal start when Patrick Bamford netted his 50th Leeds goal to put his side in front in the 21st minute.

However, Marc Guehi equalised against the run of play in first-half stoppage time, laying the foundations for an extraordinary turnaround.

Ayew and Eberechi Eze both grabbed a goal apiece within 11 minutes of the restart to put the visitors in complete control.

Odsonne Edouard added a fourth before Ayew rounded off the emphatic victory with his second goal of the game.

The result ensures that Roy Hodgson begins his second spell as Palace boss with two wins in two games, while condemning Leeds manager Javi Gracia to his first home defeat since being appointed in February.

Hodgson, who returned to the Palace dugout with a 2-1 home win over Leicester City last weekend, would have been concerned by the quick start that Leeds made to the contest.

Within the opening six minutes, Luis Sinisterra fizzed an effort wide of the Palace goal, before Brenden Aaronson forced Sam Johnstone into action with a flicked effort.

Leeds' early pressure paid dividends in the 21st minute when Aaronson's out-swinging corner found the head of Bamford, who expertly guided the ball in off the far post.

The visitors went agonisingly close to finding an immediate equaliser from a corner kick of their own, but an unmarked Jeffrey Schlupp could only head the ball against the upright.

Schlupp's chance did little to defuse the home side's momentum, but an inspired Johnstone did his utmost to keep the deficit at just one goal.

The Palace goalkeeper pulled off a fine stop to push Jack Harrison's powerful free kick around the post, before comfortably gathering Robin Koch's header from the subsequent corner.

Johnstone was required once again to thwart Pascal Struijk, and his saves proved to be crucial, as Palace restored parity in the first-half stoppage time.

Schlupp's mistimed header from a Palace free kick broke perfectly for his teammate, Guehi, to poke the ball home from close range.

After taking confidence from their equaliser, the Eagles stunned their hosts in the opening stages of the second period, scoring two goals in as many minutes.

Olise was given the time and space to deliver a cross towards the far post, where Ayew was on hand to nod the ball beyond Meslier.

With Leeds on the ropes, Palace took full advantage, as Olise and Eze combined for the latter to calmly tuck home a third goal.

As the hosts flooded forward in search of a way back into the contest, the Eagles embarked on a clinical counter-attack to quash any hopes of a Leeds comeback.

Edouard fired the ball into the bottom corner after latching onto a through ball from Olise, who became the youngest player in Premier League history to register three assists from open play in a single game.

There was still plenty of time for Ayew to grab his second and Palace's fifth after Will Hughes's deflected shot broke to the Ghanaian, who swept the ball past a helpless Meslier.

Palace move six points clear of the bottom three, while Leeds remain in 16th place and just two points above the drop zone. body check tags ::