Schlupp in the face!
Eagles fly but Roy warns: We might NEVER get high enough to keep Zaha...
ROY HODGSON admits it’s a matter of time before the transfer frenzy over Wilfried Zaha starts again.
Zaha bagged his second goal in as many games as the Eagles ended a fivegame winless run at Burnley.
And having fended off bids from Everton and Arsenal for Zaha during the summer, Hodgson knows the big guns will come calling again for the Ivorian winger.
He said: “We’ve never wanted to lose him, we’ve never wanted that.
“He’s capable of causing problems to any defence anywhere in the world.
“But when a player does exceptionally and there’s lots of clubs after them – and they’re prepared to pay big money – well it’s not that easy to keep hold of them.
“There is a hierarchy in the league and, if you’re Crystal Palace, you have to accept there are bigger, richer and more powerful clubs than you.”
Zaha’s clinical first-half strike and substitute Jeffrey Schlupp’s first away league goal for a year did the damage for the Eagles.
Jordan Ayew had a goal disallowed just before the break, ruled out for offside by VAR.
Palace took the lead soon after.
England shot-stopper Nick Pope had a day to forget as he let Zaha’s strike sneak in at his near post – and then allowed Schlupp’s effort through his legs late on.
And Ben Mee will also want to forget his awful clearance to let Schlupp in.
Spanish keeper Vicente
Guaita blocked Dwight Mcneil’s rasping drive late on and then pulled off a wonderful one-handed save from Chris Wood’s header as the Eagles survived a late rally.
Victory saw Hodgson’s battlers climb up the table to go level on points with the Clarets.
Boss Sean Dyche said: “There was a lot of effort and commitment, but the frustration comes from not taking our chances.
“I’m not despondent with the performance, but it was one of those days.
“It was a peculiar game and we had them on the back foot enough to take something.
“Our mistakes cost us our goals, but we created enough chances to at least get something from the game.
“The margins are tight in a game like that, but I didn’t think it was a 2-0.”
Reflecting on Pope’s error for the first goal, Dyche admitted: “Nick will be disappointed with the first goal because he has very high standards.”