GARY O’Neil says the performance of young centre-back Illia Zabarnyi was “one of the positives” from Saturday’s abject defeat at Crystal Palace.

Cherries produced one of their worst displays of the season as they were soundly beaten 2-0 by Roy Hodgson’s Eagles, failing to register a shot on target all afternoon as Eberechi Eze scored twice for the hosts.

O’Neil made a couple of changes to his starting line-up, including handing a first Premier League start to 20-year-old Zabarnyi.

The Ukraine international, who arrived for around £24million from Dynamo Kyiv in January, had previously made two cameo appearances off the bench prior to his start at Selhurst Park.

“I thought one of the positives was Zabarnyi,” O’Neil told the Daily Echo.

“I thought he did well, for a first game in the Premier League.

“ Still obviously very young and has been out for a while as well. I thought he was a positive.”