Hodgson claims Klopp will also Kop a freak defeat

ROY HODGSON laughed at claims Crystal Palace’s shock win had inflicted a “mortal blow” on Manchester City’s title hopes, insisting that Liverpool will slip up too.

But there was precious little laughter amongst City fans after a result which handed Jurgen Klopp a golden opportunity to leave the champions trailing when the top two meet back here on January 3.

“I don’t think Pep [Guardiola] will be concerned about it,” said Hodgson. “There are still 20 games to play and no matter how Liverpool play, they will come up against a game like this.

“Someone, somewhere, will beat them against the odds.”

The odds were loaded in City’s favour on Saturday with Palace 22-1 to spring a shock.

Yet with a muddled selection and lax defending, Guardiola’s champions shot themselves in the foot.

The gamble to leave Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero on the bench, as they continue to recover from knee and muscle injuries, backfired.

So, too, did the decision to deploy John Stones in midfield in the absence of the injured Fernandinho and the call to push Ilkay Gundogan forward.

Yet it still required a huge effort of organisation from the visitors to pull off the shock, something they managed with hard work, discipline and a touch of genius from Andros Townsend.

The Eagles went a goal down to a header from Gundogan – a goal most at the Etihad thought would open the floodgates

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