ROY: IT’S TOO SOON TO SURRENDER

ROY HODGSON has refused to throw in the relegation towel despite Crystal Palace’s fifth game without a win.

The Eagles are now outside the drop zone on goal difference only ahead of a home game against Manchester United and a trip to Chelsea.

But Hodgson said: “After seven games we were seven or eight points adrift. At least now we’re level.

“Even if we lost all of those games against United and Chelsea, we still wouldn’t be eight points behind in the relegation zone. If we get the players back who are unfit, who knows? In our best moments, with our best team, we can be quite effective.”

The Eagles – still without talismanic Wilfried Zaha – have lost all eight Premier League games this season in which the Ivory Coast winger has not played.

Hodgson (right) was also left frustrated after Harry Kane netted in the 88th minute – just three minutes after influential defender James Tomkins had limped off with cramp to be replaced by Damien Delaney. The Palace boss added: “Tomkins had been very, very good for us in that position. “If you were to ask me which player I’d have been desperate not to lose he would have been top of the list, but he had severe cramp and wasn’t going to last. “Poor Damien found himself in that situation, marking Kane.”