Hodgson upset by attention given to Zaha in stalemate
Roy Hodgson spoke out in defence of Wilfried Zaha after the Crystal Palace forward was involved in a number of angry clashes with Watford players during yesterday’s goalless Premier League draw at Vicarage Road.
Zaha, who had a number of claims for penalties during the match, was confronted by Watford players and accused of diving during a tetchy encounter.
Hodgson said Zaha, who was one of eight players booked, was the victim of having an unfounded reputation.
“He’s given attention he doesn’t deserve,” the Palace manager told the BBC. “When the rumours spread that he’s a cheat and not the honest player he is, the crowd are led by that.
“I thought he kept his head and kept taking chances. Hopefully I’m not being oneeyed, but I think he would have got the penalty in another game.”
The point moves Palace six clear of the relegation zone with three games to spare and Hodgson said he was pleased, given the club lost a league-record first seven games of the season, to be in the position they are in.
“We thought it might go down to the last game and it might still. We’re as many as six points clear so we’ve got to be satisfied with that.
“It’s up to us to seize this opportunity.”
Watford are still not mathematically safe from relegation themselves being nine points clear of 18th-placed Southampton. They have not won in six games .
“I cannot be frustrated as I see the effort of my players,” manager Javi Gracia said. “I’m very proud of them. The first half was one of our best first halves this season.
“We created many chances but didn’t score. In the second half, they had more control and created more chances. We tried until the end.”
In today’s action, Pep Guardiola hopes newly-crowned champions Manchester City can end their outstanding Premier League campaign by breaking a series of records.
City have secured the title with five games to spare but Guardiola does not want his players to ease up, starting at home to Swansea City.
Such has been City’s dominance this season that records for most wins, most goals and most points in a Premier League season are within reach of the table toppers.
Guardiola said they could provide good motivation for the closing weeks of the season.
“In the past I won the league at Barcelona and Bayern Munich five, six or seven games before [the end] and the next five or six games were not good. We tried to keep going but we were not able,” he said.
“Maybe to think about that – how many points we can get – can be a good argument to keep going with what we have to do.
“Of course, what we should do in the Premier League is already done, the important thing is winning the title. But maybe that can help us to be focused.”
Arsenal entertain West Ham United in a London derby in other games today, while 19th-placed Stoke City, who are five points adrift of safety with only four games of the season remaining, take on Burnley in their penultimate home game of the season.