‘We’ve cracked nothing’ – Roy Hodgson not relaxing as he issues warning about Crystal Palace’s relegation scrap

Roy Hodgson has warned his Crystal Palace side have “cracked nothing” in terms of guaranteeing their Premier League status for next season despite a winning start to his SE25 return.

The hugely experienced boss returned recently on a deal until the end of the season.

And the Eagles beat Leicester City 2-1 last weekend to finally pick up maximum points for the first time in 2023. A woeful run of form had seen the South London club dispense with the services of Patrick Vieira last month.

“We find ourselves in a delicate situation,” said Hodgson. “Winning one game hasn’t made it clear that we are no longer relegation candidates – we are.

“It was very rare during the four years I was here that we were three points from the relegation zone – it didn’t happen many times.

“We were never in the bottom three. And there weren’t many times during the years that we were three points from the relegation zone, if you take away the first year when I came after seven games. Forget that.

“We’re three points from the relegation zone. It was great to get that win, it was vital and we’re delighted. But we mustn’t start thinking we’ve cracked anything. We’ve cracked nothing. We need a lot more points. Our attitude going into this Leeds game has got to be exactly the same going into this Leicester game.

“We’re playing a good team, one that is every bit as good as us – with players every bit as good as we’ve got. They are going to be really up for the game. They are going to be as motivated and as anxious to win the game as we are. So what are you going to produce on the field of play to make certain it is us at the end of the game that come off as victors, and not them? That will very much be the case in all of the games we play.

“I can’t think of one game where that will not be the case between now and the end of the season.

“Is it easier to play a team in the middle of the table, who don’t have a knife at their throat? Or a team that has maybe started well but faded a little bit and there is not much left to play for? Or is it better to play a team that has got a knife to their throat and is desperate, like you are, to get points and prepared to do all that is required to get those points? Only time will tell.

“Those things you can do nothing about. You face the team in front of you – that’s your job to prepare for them and hopefully do what is necessary to beat them. It’s nothing more complicated than that.”