Townsend backs Hodgson safety fight
Andros Townsend returns to Newcastle tomorrow, with Crystal Palace striving to avoid the relegation he suffered at St James’s Park.
The winger impressed under Rafa Benitez during their short time together at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, though Newcastle failed to seal safety.
He then left for Palace when then-manager Alan Pardew triggered his £13million release clause, but, for the third season in succession, is in a battle against relegation.
Bottom club Palace impressed in last week’s 2-1 defeat of Chelsea when Townsend — working again with Roy Hodgson, who oversaw some of his finest England displays – produced perhaps his best display since that transfer in 2016.
If they can avoid defeat at Newcastle they will gain a sense of momentum not felt since last season’s push for safety under Sam Allardyce, and Townsend said: “I’m not sure I’ll get a good reception, but I had a fantastic time there. “Unfortunately, it didn’t end well, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there with the fans. I’ll enjoy it. “Ultimately, we are going there for business, to win a football match and that’s all I’m focused on.
“It’s similar in the way (Hodgson and Allardyce) work. They like to do a lot on the training field; very hands on, the pair of them. They like to go through every scenario that will occur on the pitch so that when it occurs you are ready for it.
“Like Sam, it wasn’t a quick fix. We didn’t initially pick up results, but eventually you saw how well we were playing towards the end of last season and I’ve no doubt in my mind that we’ll get to that again under Roy.”