DON’T LUKA SAD
PREMIER LEAGUE Penalty flop backed
LUKA MILIVOJEVIC has nothing to be sorry about, says Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.
The Serbian missed a stoppage-time penalty which would have seen Palace become the first team to beat Manchester City in the league this season.
Milivojevic covered his face with his shirt in despair after Ederson saved his last-gasp spot-kick.
The midfielder didn’t apologise after the game in the dressing room – and Hennessey insisted he didn’t need to.
Fantastic
“He didn’t have to say anything,” said the Wales stopper before today’s trip to Southampton.
“We all know it was a fantastic save and we have seen him put the ball in the back of the net so many times.
“We keep up his spirits and I am sure he will be fine at Southampton.
“It was a good penalty, straight down the middle. But he is a fantastic goalkeeper – that’s why he plays for City.”
Despite a goalless draw, Hennessey said boss Roy Hodgson didn’t set out to just defend against the Premier League leaders, having picked a team featuring Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend.
“We wanted to punish them as much as we possibly could,” said Hennessey.
“Our front three at the moment are on fire and I would like to think we caused them problems as well.
“We definitely didn’t want to be that sort of team just to get everyone behind the ball, stay in our own half and just defend for our lives.
“We weren’t all about that. We wanted to attack as well and offer a threat and we did that.
“We kept it simple. We were hurting them. We have stopped them and not many teams have done that this season.
“It has stopped their winning run as well, so hopefully we can go on now.
“Everyone else will go into the Southampton game on a high.” by DAVID WOODS