Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson reacts to Wilfried Zaha red card at Southampton

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Roy Hodgson described it as “not a good day” as Crystal Palace’s 1-1 draw with Southampton saw Wilfried Zaha dismissed for sarcastically clapping referee Andre Marriner.

The Eagles talisman had already been cautioned for reacting to a challenge and then applauded the official for his decision-making – leading to a second yellow.

It means Zaha will sit out Saturday’s home game against Fulham.

Palace manager Hodgson told Palace TV: “It is not something we are particularly happy about.

“Wilf was playing well, he was consistently fouled throughout the game and, as has happened so often with Wilf in the past, he reacts badly to another situation where he is clearly fouled. The referee hasn’t given it and then he compounds that by clapping the referee and the referee sends him off.

“It is not a good day for us in any way, shape or form. It could’ve been a good day, because we should have been leaving here with three points – like we did last year.

“We leave with one point and I feel it’s two points dropped.”

Zaha had put Palace into a first-half lead but James Ward-Prowse levelled on 77 minutes. Ten minutes later and the South London club were down to 10 men for the closing stages.

Hodgson said: “We had a lot of chances to win the game and we should’ve won the game. We should win it 1-0, if nothing else.

“We were hard done-by by a lot of refereeing decisions.

“We were not able to take one or two chances that came our way, the ball was cleared off the line and there was a clear penalty with Tomkins pushed down in the penalty area. There were two or three quite close calls in the six-yard box from corner kicks.

“They scored from one of their few real chances they created.”