Crystal Palace ‘every bit as good’ as Everton in 1-1 draw, insists Hodgson

BY SAM SMITH

Roy Hodgson felt his Crystal Palace team were deserving of their 1-1 draw with Everton, earned thanks to Michy Batshuayi’s equaliser four minutes from full-time.

Everton missed an array of chances and Vicente Guaita was forced into several excellent saves. James Rodriguez eventually put the Toffees ahead early in the second half, only for substitute Batshuayi to strike late on.

Ebere Eze twice tested Everton goalkeeper Robin Olsen with powerful strikes. Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha also went close.

Hodgson felt that many of Everton’s chances were created through his side’s misfortune, rather than because the Merseysiders were the better team.

It was put to Hodgson that his side had ridden a storm. However, the Palace boss disagree. He said: “Yes, we came back from 1-0 [down] but I felt we had as much of the possession as Everton had. That’s the way I saw it from the touchline and I felt that we had as many goal chances as they did. So, I can’t really agree with your observation.

“However, I am pleased after going a goal down that we got back into the game. I’m grateful to our goalkeeper for making a few very good saves during the game, but strangely enough those chances came very haphazardly. They didn’t come because we were being cut apart by Everton, nor because they were finding their way through our defence easily.

“They came through relatively random situations, where the ball would fall quite kindly and our goalkeeper made some good saves. Otherwise, I felt that we were every bit as good for the body of the game as Everton were.”