BUMPY TIME AT THE PALACE
We can’t keep pulling off miracles warns Hodgson
ROY HODGSON watched Palace complete a magical comeback - but warned he can’t keep pulling rabbits out of the hat.
Jordan Ayew scored a stunning 90th-minute winner to lift the Eagles into the top half of the Premier League despite a growing injury list.
And Hodgson, 72, won the tactical battle with 66-year-old Manuel Pellegrini, the two oldest managers in the top flight
But the Palace boss, who is out of contract at the end of the season, repeated his call for investment in his squad after making a net profit for the Selhurst Park club since his arrival in September 2017. And he suggested he did not want to spend the rest of his career as a firefighter.
“These boys are incredible. I don’t know how they do it,” said the former England boss. “We are always hard to beat and to get a result today was above and beyond the call of duty. The fact is that we have such a small squad that you can’t keep asking miracles of these players. “We have talked about it for a long time so maybe this is the transfer window we will get them. Sooner or later we need to get in some people to help us out.” Asked about extending his contract, Hodgson (above) said: “That is under discussion at the moment. We will see. But, if I am going to stay, I don’t want the situation that I find myself in at the moment.
“It is demoralising having to put so much pressure on the players to keep our head above water. We really do need some help – when I say ‘we’ it is not so much myself as the players.
“I have fantastic staff and a fantastic group of players to work with. I have said this many times but, come the day I leave Crystal Palace behind, I will miss these players and this staff because you couldn’t wish for a better group of people.”
West Ham had enjoyed 12 days off before kick-off, their fixture last weekend postponed because of Liverpool’s participation in the Club World Cup, and they took the lead after 57 minutes when Robert Snodgrass finished cleverly from a superb Michail Antonio pass.
Former Hammer Cheikhou Kouyate levelled from an Ayew header and then refused to celebrate his volley out of respect for his ex-teammates.
Ayew, who missed a sitter in the first half, sealed all three points for battling Palace with a slalom run through the Hammers defence before a delightful chip over Roberto.
Hodgson saluted the quality of the winner from Ayew (below). “It was one of those wonderful individual efforts that will live long in the memory,” he said.
“His contribution was absolutely crucial because he really did make the first goal by his run and knock-down and then he scored that wonder second goal.”
Spanish keeper Roberto, who was recalled because of injuries to Lukasz Fabianski and David Martin, had a mixed afternoon.
He flapped at early crosses but made a fine late save from Connor Wickham before the winner. He has now conceded 21 goals in 10 games.
“I trusted Roberto because he has a good career behind him,” said Hammers boss Pellegrini. “He had a good game and made a good save. I am happy for him, but the best way to be happy was to win this game.”