Roy Hodgson accuses reporter of ‘trying to hurt me’ in live TV interview after Crystal Palace’s defeat to Chelsea
ROY HODGSON accused a reporter of trying to hurt him following Crystal Palace’s defeat to Chelsea.
Michael Olise had cancelled out Mykhailo Mudryk’s opener before a late Noni Madueke condemned the Eagles to a third defeat in five games.
Crystal Palace are on an eight-game winless streak – a run that leaves them just three points above the relegation zone.
Hodgson was asked about his side’s precarious position and he felt the reporter was trying to upset him with her line of questioning.
He said on Amazon Prime Video: “Of course it is a concern. It is always a concern when you are not winning matches and we are not winning matches at the moment.
“But it would be even more of a concern if I thought the team was playing poorly, if I didn’t think the players were working as hard as they are, showing the spirit they are showing, that would be much more of a concern.
“And don’t forget our last four games have been at home to Liverpool, away to Manchester City, at home to Brighton and away to Chelsea
“So we’re not exactly playing the teams in the area we are in the league.
“So once again you are trying to hurt me with the statistic, of course it hurts to be near the bottom of the table, it does.
“But it’s a statistic, it would hurt me if we were bottom of the table after 38 games, but being near the bottom with 19 games to go, that doesn’t hurt me anywhere near as much as you are perhaps trying to suggest it should.”
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Hodgson, 76, is under mounting pressure at Selhurst Park and SunSport understands he is fighting to save his job – with insiders believing Saturday’s clash at home to Brentford will be pivotal.
Palace welcome fellow struggles Brentford for a London derby on Saturday, with the club hierarchy already eyeing potential replacements if Hodgson fails to win.
Chairman Steve Parish is a long-term admirer of Steve Cooper, who is now available for nothing following his sacking by Nottingham Forest.
Cooper is the favourite to take over but former Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner is also in the running.