ROY-AL Hodgson thrilled
ROY HODGSON got a big old hug from Brendan Rodgers – and then dropped the Leicester boss right in it.
Rodgers welcomed Premier League OAP Hodgson (below) back into football with open arms, giving him a warm embrace before kick-off.
But the 75-year-old then masterminded Crystal Palace’s first win since New Year’s Eve to push the Foxes into the bottom three.
Jean-Philippe Mateta came off the bench to score his first goal since August, a heartbreaker for Leicester in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
And that completed the Palace comeback after a Daniel Iversen own goal levelled the scores following Ricardo Pereira’s shock opener.
Hodgson, whose side are now five points clear of danger, said: “I don’t think in the four years I was here before, I ever saw the quality of performance I did in the first half.
“It was dominant and encompassed everything we tried to put in their heads. We wanted them to believe in themselves.
“It’s a relief. We did deserve to win it, but I know it’s hard on them to concede with basically the last kick of the game.
“We knew the crowd would be nervous like we were ourselves but we gave them what they wanted to see.
“On another day we could have won by more.
“I was delighted by the reception the fans gave me but if there were hairs standing up on the back of my neck it was in fright we might not get them a victory!”
The only downside for Palace was that skipper and talisman Wilfried Zaha limped off with a thigh muscle injury.
Hodgson said: “It was a massive blow to see him come off, he was so good and has been such a good leader.
“All we can do is cross our fingers and hope for the best. Muscle strains can take anything from days to weeks.”
Leicester were under the cosh early and ended up being outshot 31-3, the biggest such margin in any Premier League game so far this season.
Rodgers said: “We defended well in the first half.
“Then we had to adjust and when they scored the free
-kick we didn’t regain our rhythm.
“We were resilient and kept fighting but to concede right at the death, it’s a really painful one.
“There’s plenty of effort. Plenty of spirit. We’ve got 30 points to play for. We need to be better.
“We’ve been in this position before and dealt with that and got ourselves out of it. We’ve got to focus on ourselves.”
Palace looked better than they have in weeks during the first half, dominating Leicester and firing in 20 shots on goal.
But while Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Joachim Andersen all went close, it was the Foxes who hit the post through Victor Kristiansen.
And there was bad news for Hodgson when skipper Zaha went down with a freak thigh injury just before half time and limped off the pitch. Leicester came out fired up after the break and Timothy Castagne quickly tested Palace keeper Vicente Guaita for the first time in the match with a shot he saved with his legs at the near post.
Guaita was powerless to stop Pereira smashing the Foxes in front, though.
Teed up by Castagne, he launched a rocket into the top corner.
But Leicester’s lead did not last long, as Eze grabbed an equaliser with a free-kick Iversen should have stopped but which instead hit the crossbar and went in off his back.
Iversen was then at full stretch to tip another goalbound effort from Eze around the upright as the home side pressed hard for a winner.
But he couldn’t prevent Mateta’s winner, four minutes into stoppage time, in a dramatic end to the match.
Fellow sub Jordan Ayew fed him and Mateta took a touch before burying his finish and leaving shell-shocked Leicester on their knees.