You’ve said sorry and paid the penalty, now get back to scoring goals

BENTEKE’S MISSION AFTER SPOT-KICK BLUNDER

ROY HODGSON has urged “pantomime villain” Christian Benteke to win back Crystal Palace supporters by scoring against Watford tonight.

The striker was booed by Eagles fans after defying team orders and taking a late penalty against Bournemouth – only to have it saved.

The blunder cost two points and left Palace rooted at the bottom of the table. Hodgson revealed Benteke apologised to him and his team-mates before training yesterday morning.

And the Selhurst Park boss (right) said his task was to make amends by scoring for the first time this season tonight.

“At the moment Benteke is some sort of pantomime villain,” said the former England manager. “He will unfortunately have to live with the fact there’s a residue of resentment because he took a penalty which he perhaps shouldn’t have taken and missed it.

“It’s easy to win back the fans – he has to play as well as he did on Saturday and score a goal or two.” Luka Milivojevic had already tucked away a spot-kick for Palace and with the score 2-2 they were awarded another, but Benteke grabbed the ball from his team-mate and his feeble effort was saved.

“I can’t really defend his decision to take the penalty as we’d nominated a penaltytaker,” added Hodgson.

“He scored the first one and we expected him to take the second one. But as far as we’re concerned that’s over and done with. It’s finished.

“I hope the crowd won’t hold it against him because if they’re really supporting the team, they will get behind him because we don’t need a player who is having to fight animosity from our fans, we need a player who’s getting great backing from our fans.”

It was Benteke’s third missed penalty out of five for Palace and he has gone 12 matches without a goal.

Hodgson revealed that the striker was “devastated” after the game.

He added: “I’m very happy with the way he has reacted to it.

“He has had the courage to talk to the rest of the team and basically apologise for what he has done.

“I’m pretty sure he make it up to us.” will