LONDON, February 4 — After Crystal Palace’s 4-1 thumping of rival Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday, the team dropped to just five points above the relegation zone. Despite this setback, manager Roy Hodgson stated he will not give up.
At the Amex Stadium, Brighton won their first Premier League game of the year, putting further pressure on Hodgson as his club held onto 14th place with 24 points after 23 games.
However, Palace supporters were even more hurt by the defeat because their rivalry with Brighton is regarded as one of the most intense in English football.
The 76-year-old Hodgson stated, “My years in the game have given me the resilience to cope.” Naturally, jeers from opposing fans are a normal part of life.
“Right now, there’s not much that our own supporters are delighted with at the club, and they’re not hiding their sentiments either.
“I volunteered to lead this football team because I am a strong, resilient, and determined individual who will see things through to the end. That kind of thing won’t intimidate me, for sure.
A segment of Palace supporters chastised the former England manager for substituting Michael Olise when the team was down 3-0. The 22-year-old winger’s hamstring issue returned in less than ten minutes.
Hodgson remarked, “I was informed that he couldn’t start the game and everyone was quite comfortable with that.”
He assured me that it was okay for him to sit out the first half and play in the second. I’m afraid I don’t own a crystal ball.
It’s analogous to thinking, “You were losing 3-0, why did you bring him on?’ in retrospect. We brought him all the way here to sit on the bench and play in the second half because we wanted our best players to be on the field, is the explanation for that.
On Monday at Selhurst Park, Palace will play host to Chelsea, who are now ranked tenth. – News reports
