Hodgson’s Palace creates history
Former England manager Roy Hodgson knows he has a tough task on his hands at Crystal Palace after watching his new team create an unwanted new record for the English Premier League.
The Eagles became the first side in the competition to lose its first five games of a campaign and fail to score after a 1-0 home defeat by Southampton.
Palace, which is now three points adrift at the bottom of the ladder, is also the first top-flight team in the history of English football (since 1888) to lose its first five games and score no goals.
“I still believe in the long-term, these players will pick themselves up from where they have been knocked down to,” Hodgson (pictured) told Sky Sports.
“It’s going to be a long road and there might be some more pain before we see some light at the end of the tunnel.”
It will not get any easier for Palace and Hodgson with the next three fixtures in the EPL against Manchester City away, Manchester United at Old Trafford and Chelsea at home.
At the other end of the ladder Manchester City laid down a marker with a 6-0 win at Watford to move three points clear at the top.
United had a chance to draw level with a home clash against Everton overnight.
Sergio Aguero was the star for City with a hat-trick, with Gabriel Jesus, Nicolas Otamendi and Raheem Sterling adding the others.
EPL scores: Watford 0 Man City 6, Crystal Palace 0 Southampton 1, Huddersfield 1 Leicester 1, Liverpool 1 Burnley 1, Newcastle 2 Stoke 1, West Brom 0 West Ham 0, Spurs 0 Swansea 0. Overnight: Man United v Everton.