ROY’S ON EZE STREET WITH PALACE PAIR

ROY HODGSON believes Wilfried Zaha’s partnership with new-boy Eberechi Eze can be the spark to ignite Crystal Palace’s season.

Palace face table-topping Tottenham at Selhurst Park tomorrow, a week after the pair (above) helped demolish West Brom 5-1 at The Hawthorns.

Zaha scored twice but linked up superbly with ex-QPR schemer Eze, and Hodgson said: “Eberechi has shown he can do all the things we were looking for him to do when we brought him here – and because he is an attacking player who can beat a man, that will definitely help Wilf.

“In that game (against the Baggies) they were really good on the ball, and their movement and ability to link up with each other worked well.

“It’s early stages and there is going to be a lot of work done to improve the partnership, but we have got to be very satisfied with the way it is working.

“We still need both of them to do their jobs as team players – but both of them are doing that right now.” Hodgson has also told Jose Mourinho to ignore the critics attacking the pragmatic style of his Spurs side.

He added: “I was at Halmstad (in Sweden) from 1976-80 in my first job. I know exactly how he feels. To be doing a good job and getting the team playing the right way and getting the results, and other people trying to tell you there’s another type of football they prefer.

“I’m full of sympathy for Jose. But with Tottenham top of the table, I would think the club is a very happy place, irrespective of what people might be saying.”