Crystal Palace sent out an ominous statement of intent as they sealed a place in the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs with a 5-0 thrashing of 10-man Burnley.

Neil Warnock's Palace, who will now play Bristol City in the play-offs, have stormed up the league in the second half of the season and after Ben Watson had buried a penalty and Clarke Carlisle had been sent off for the visitors with just six minutes gone the result never looked in doubt.

Victor Moses then took advantage of more dreadful defending to steer in a second before Tom Soares hit a third before half-time.

Scott Sinclair added a fine individual goal as the visitors tired in the second half before top scorer Clinton Morrison completed the rout. Relegation appeared the only route out of the Championship when Warnock took charge in October.

But with the rest of the top-half of the table stuttering few would now bet against a miraculous return to the Premier League via Wembley for in-form Palace.