Hodgson’s desperate to chill out

ROY HODGSON cannot wait to exchange the heat of the kitchen for the luxury of the living room. But he accepts that will not happen until Crystal Palace avoid relegation. The Eagles manager knows that with the club still in the relegation zone and HODGSON: Feeling relegation pressure playing Bournemouth today, the pressure of staying up is full on.

A run of four games unbeaten is only the start of a salvage operation and Hodgson said: “I won’t be able to fully relax until we are safe from relegation. There is not one of the next 23 games we have left where I won’t feel the pressure.

“In our situation, you live with it and get on with it, that’s what I’m doing here. But if you can’t stand the heat of the kitchen – and I admit the fire is burning fiercely right now – you shouldn’t be in the game. You get used to it but, I must admit I would prefer sitting in the comfort of the living room.”

Meanwhile, Eddie Howe, the Bournemouth manager, has challeged Harry Arter to rediscover his best form after admitting that the midfielder is suffering a World Cup hangover.

Arter missed out on his dream of going to Russia next summer when the Republic of Ireland lost their play-off to Denmark. And he was dropped for last Sunday’s draw against Southampton.

Howe said: “The disappointment of losing out on the World Cup opportunity and going through those experiences may have knocked him a bit.”