Hodgson: Big boys do not scare Eagles

CRYSTAL PALACE boss Roy Hodgson admits today’s visit to Manchester City is one of the most daunting of Premier League awaydays.

But he insists his team will not be overawed and warned smaller clubs must never feel they have no chance against big teams.

“Daunting is probably a good word to use, but it depends how we interpret it,” he said.

“Is it, ‘We know if we want to pull a result out of the bag then we need some special moments? Or are you deflated and feeling this isn’t a game you want to be in?’

“I’d be disappointed if we were going there thinking we’d no chance. That won’t be us, I know.

“It’s one of the 38 games we have to play and one of the tougher ones because we know we are playing against such a good team.

“But as far as we’re concerned this is another opportunity to show we are a good Premier League team and another chance to get points.

“It won’t be easy but it is far from impossible.

The day it becomes impossible for teams like Crystal Palace to get results against Manchester City, the league might as well just fold up and we’ll do everything on paper.

“The game is played on grass and we’re not beaten yet.”

Asked if the fixture represented a ‘free hit’ for Palace, he jokingly recalled City’s visit to Selhurst Park last season.

He said: “When they came here around about this time we managed a nil-nil draw and even gave them a free hit of missing a penalty in the last minute, which was extremely generous of us.”

He expects Palace to have plenty of defensive work to do, although not out of choice.

“You won’t see situations like I used to encounter with Inter when teams would play for nil-nil and ask if you could put up with all their incredible time-wasting tactics,” he said.

“Parking the bus isn’t an English cultural thing to do.

“But most teams, whether they like it or not, will find themselves penned inside their own half because of City’s good play.”