I’M STILL PALACE’S SPECIAL ONE...

But Hodgson is desperate to see Eagles end losing streak ...AND I’VE BEEN SPECIAL DURING THE LAST FIVE MATCHES SAYS JOSE

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The Eagles manager, who will be 73 next month, is facing the prospect of an eighth straight defeat when his side host Tottenham tomorrow.

Hodgson signed a new one-year deal in March, which takes him up to the end of next season, but is set for talks about the future with the Palace hierarchy next week amid concerns over the club’s dismal post-lockdown run.

But Hodgson has demanded more players to strengthen his injury-hit squad – and insisted he has no worries about his future.

The former England boss said: “My contract was signed three or four months ago and I don’t have an issue. That was a decision I was happy to take. I’m not as young as I was and a year was the right thing to do, taking one year at a time.

“I didn’t make any suggestion the contract should be more than one year. The club wanted me to stay on and sign for that further season, which I was happy to do.”

Hodgson added: “There is a risk that we will take this negative finish into next season.

“When you finish the season on a negative note it can bring headaches – but none we can’t deal with.

“I’m concerned how the squad is going to look with so many important players missing. This has highlighted what this squad needs. I’m hoping it will provoke the necessary action to make certain next season that the squad has a better chance to compete.”

Palace have targeted younger players for this summer, with West Brom’s teenage full-back Nathan Ferguson already signed and Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard a target, and Hodgson said: “The age of the squad needs to be lowered. We need younger and fresher legs.”

The Palace boss was left fuming after Monday’s defeat at Wolves, when TV pictures appeared to show him berating his squad.

He said: “I was angry. The TV company filmed in the room, suggesting I was berating the players and was angry with their performance.

“It was exactly the opposite – I was telling them they had given everything.

“It’s annoying to have it suggested to a TV audience that I was angry with them.

“What made it worse, I did my TV interview afterwards and said the players did well – but they suggested I was lying, because I had a go at them.”

JOSE MOURINHO has declared himself the Special No.1 – top of the pile over the last five games. For weeks he has been pointing out that Tottenham would be in the top four if the season had started the day he took over in November. But ahead of the trip to Crystal Palace, he made up yet another imaginary title race of his own. “If you think I need to show something, okay I’m going to try,” he said when asked about proving he was still one of the game’s top WATCH ME Hodgson says he can arrest the poor run of Palace form managers. “Let’s go for an easy one: I’m fourth in the league. “When I arrived, Tottenham were 14th, eight points difference to Arsenal, I think, 12 or 14 to a Champions League position. “If you think it’s bad to be fourth in the league, that’s your opinion. “But if you want to laugh a little bit with me, I am the champion of the last five matches. You can give me that medal – ‘Champion of the Last Five Matches, 13 points’! “Honestly, I’m not worried about proving things or not… It’s not anything that can come from outside that’s going to motivate me more or less or put more or less pressure on me, it’s just my nature. I don’t need that.” The reality is he needs a favour from his old club Chelsea just for European qualification. Frank Lampard’s side need to hold Wolves in the final game of the season if Mourinho’s men are going to be able to leapfrog them into sixth place – and a guaranteed Europa League place by beating Crystal Palace.

WIPE OUT Palace and Andros Townsend have been suffering