Opposition View: Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson was pleased that his side avoided becoming the victims of another late comeback following the 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

All five goals were scored in action-packed first 45 minutes and Hodgson felt his side deserved to be in a stronger position at the break after a dominant display.

He said, “We died a few deaths there - in the last 15 minutes in particular, especially after doing so well in the first half.

“I thought the team played ever so well and we were obviously disappointed that we didn’t have a better margin to build our second half upon because of the two goals they got back on us, but it’s good to know that the team can hold on.

“It’s nice to go into the dressing room after the game knowing that it could have gone pear shaped for us if we’d conceded that equaliser, but we didn’t.

“There have been so many occasions that I’ve sat here and listened to people sympathising with our plight saying that we deserved better. On this occasion the late goal didn’t kill us and we got the three points that we so badly needed, and gave our fans a wonderful game of football to watch and hopefully go home happy.”

Hodgson also praised the performances of Wayne Hennessey and Wilfried Zaha, who both put in impressive displays at opposite ends of the pitch.

“He [Hennessey] was excellent. He was good in the first half too even though he didn’t have much to do, but in the second half when the pressure was being applied and balls were coming into the box a lot more, he had to really step up to the plate and he did a wonderful job.”

“He’s [Zaha] very important, as he was last season when he stepped up to the plate and helped the team to survive.

“He’s doing his level best to help us now and we can’t ask any more of him, but his biggest question is that he has a lot of years ahead of him, so what is he going to do to get better?

“His dribbling ability and ability on the ball has been good for a long period of time, so what step can he take to get himself up there to be recognised the same as Alexis Sanchez or Eden Hazard?

“I believe that with his qualities there’s no reason he can’t take that step and be even better, but of course this season he’s going to be involved in a dogfight. You’ve probably only seen the best of him when the team are playing for their lives every Saturday.”