PALACE REVEL IN UNLIKELY EURO PUSH
PEERING over shoulders has given way to a collective craning of necks in South London. Even Roy Hodgson’s familiar restraint is now coupled with cautious optimism. Rather than shielding from the dangers of Project Restart, this 72-year-old seems intent on kicking the door down. Next stop, Europe? Is this the new normal for Crystal Palace? This win at Bournemouth took them above Arsenal and level with Tottenham. They are four points off fifth and potential Champions League football. The Europa League is even closer. ‘These 13-14 players that you saw today, they are going to have to put it in each of these eight games. I think that will be a very tough ask,’ Hodgson said. ‘But having seen them play today and seen how well they have done I certainly would not write them off as a possible contender.’ Only a fool would. Palace have won four in a row, keeping four clean sheets in the process. In Hodgson’s past two seasons the final sprint has been fraught with danger. In 2017-18, they were 18th after 30 games. The next season, their cushion to the bottom three was five points. But now they’re closer to third than third bottom. ‘Players can read the table. I don’t think it is something that you need to emphasise,’ Hodgson said. ‘They realise this possibility does exist — but it is going to take an incredible effort.’ So too for Bournemouth in their fight against the drop. It is now 13 league games since their last clean sheet while again they struggled to create chances. Eddie Howe can at least call on David Brooks for the final eight games. Despite giving away the free-kick which led to Luka Milivojevic’s 12th-minute opener — Jordan Ayew swept in a second 11 minutes later — Brooks showed flashes of promise in his first appearance in 14 months. ‘It was obviously nice to be back out there playing again but the emotions are a little bit angry and demoralised with the result and how we performed,’ he said. ‘The standards we hold in there and the players and the calibre of talent, it isn’t good enough that we’re down there in the first place. It’s time to step up.’ BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale 6.5; Stacey 6, S Cook 6, Ake 6.5, Smith 5; Lerma 5.5, L Cook 5.5; H Wilson 4.5 (Danjuma 46min, 6.5), Brooks 6.5 (Stanislas 61, 6), King 5.5 (Solanke 49, 6); C Wilson 5.5. Subs not used: Boruc, Mepham, Kelly, Rico, Gosling, Surman. Booked: Smith, L Cook, S Cook. Manager: Eddie Howe 5.5. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-3-3): Guaita 6;
Ward 6.5, Dann 7, CAHILL 7.5, Van Aanholt 7; Kouyate 6.5, Milivojevic 7 (McCarthy 65, 6), McArthur 7 (Riedewald 89); Ayew 7, Benteke 6.5 (Townsend 76), Zaha 6.5.
Subs not used: Hennessey, Sakho, Mitchell, Tavares, Meyer, Pierrick. Booked: Ayew, Ward. Scorers: Milivojevic 12, Ayew 23. Manager: Roy Hodgson 7. Referee: Stuart Attwell 6.5.