Hodgson says Palace resilience paid off - plus updates on Eze and Olise

First-team

30 Jan 2024

Roy Hodgson praised his side’s resilience and character as they twice came from behind to beat Sheffield United in a five-goal thriller at Selhurst Park.

The Manager reacts to the victory over the Blades

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The Eagles fell behind after just 20 seconds thanks to Ben Brereton Diaz’ opener, but hit back through Ebere Eze and Michael Olise to claim all three points.

“At the the start of the game, especially, everyone was of a mindset: ‘We've got to start this game well’ and get on the front foot and really show them who's boss, and suddenly you're one goal down within a minute,” Hodgson said after the game. “The worst one really was the deflection [for their second goal].

“So I'm really pleased that we showed that resilience, we showed that strength of character, and we also showed the strength of character at the end when we had to take off the two architects of our victory really, who were causing a lot of problems and giving us an awful lot of composure.

“When we did get the ball and [they] were spraying it around, [and we] had to take them off, which meant that with 12 minutes of extra time added on we had to suffer a bit at the end and dig in.

“But that's a good thing as well, because that's what the Premier League is. Unfortunately, when you're one goal up in the Premier League, I don't care who you're playing, the last 10 minutes is probably going to be quite tough going.”

Olise’s return saw him provide two assists for Eze, before scoring a sublime winning goal from the edge of the penalty area.

“I think when they're playing – and Jordan [Ayew] too, because he's come back from the African Cup [of Nations] and we've missed him for three or four weeks, and [Jean-Philippe] Mateta, to be fair, he's played exceptionally well – with those four players in our side, I think we create chances in a totally different way and cause problems for teams in a totally different way than perhaps we've been able to do when we've not had them,” Hodgson said.

“But that's the same for every team [if] you take out the most creative players, the most talented players. It would be nice if I'd been able, in some of these games we've been playing, to put three or four players who I think are very good players in the team and even the teams up a little bit, but you can't do that.

“But I've always believed that the team has got a lot of quality, and I think in the first-half in particular, I thought we showed that. Over the first 60 minutes, we really showed it.”

Hodgson reserved special praise for the fans, while stating that he had hopes Eze and Olise would be fit for the visit to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

“The fans of this club are very good. They are people who really support the club,” he said. “I think they understand our situation as well, for the best part, but I think also that they've been satisfied, certainly, over the last few years with the way the team has played, with the signings that the club has made as well, to improve us and make us actually a better football team.

“I think that it's good that they, tonight, showed that they appreciate that. Their support was good. It was non-stop. It was incessant, pretty much like it's always been.

“So, hopefully, we put the black mark of last week, the heavy defeat, behind us. And I think people, if they're looking at the team now, should be doing so with a large degree of optimism.

“This team and this group of players are capable of lifting Crystal Palace up into a higher position than we find ourselves in, at this moment in time.

“I'm a Palace fan too, so I certainly hope [Eze and Olise will be fit]! But of course, they haven't really been fully assessed as yet.

“Both of them were pretty upbeat after the game, and with any luck, they'll both be there. If they are both there, it will certainly improve our chances of getting a result at the weekend.”

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