Following today’s clash between Crystal Palace and Watford, here are the instant reactions from both managers.
Crystal Palace hosted Watford for an 8pm kick off on Tuesday December 12, with the hosts taking a two one victory on the night.
Watford opened the scoring in the game in the third minute through Daryl Janmaat and it looked increasingly likely that they would take all three points as the game to a close.
However the substitutes from Roy Hodgson turned the game back in Palace’s favour and with more efforts on an off target, Bakary Sakho bundled home an 89th minute leveller and two minutes into stoppage time fellow substitute James McArthur hit the winner.
Both goals came minutes after Watford had been reduced to ten men with Tom Cleverley leaving the pitch for a second yellow card.
Crystal Palace now move out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.
Teams
Crystal Palace:
Speroni, Fosu-Mensah, Dann, Tomkins, Schlupp, Townsend, Cabaye, Milivojevic, Loftus-Cheek, Zaha, Benteke.
Substitutes:
van Aanholt, Hennessey, Lee Chung-yong, McArthur, Sako, Kelly, Riedewald.
Watford:
Gomes, Mariappa, Prodl, Kabasele, Janmaat, Cleverley, Doucoure, Holebas, Carrillo, Richarlison, Deeney.
Substitutes:
Success, Gray, Femenia, Watson, Capoue, Karnezis, Pereyra.
Speaking to the BBC’s cameras a short time after match day referee Lee Mason blew the final whistle, Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson explained.
‘It is a huge three points. Where we are in the table every three points is unbelievably worked for. The moment we think our problems are over is the moment our problems will begin. We have a mountain to climb and it’s wonderful to win but we’re still very close to the bottom of the table because we haven’t quite made up from getting zero points from the first seven games. It is stressful but if I didn’t think I was able to take that stress then I wouldn’t have taken up the offer to come and work at this club.’
Watford head coach Marco Silva in his comparitive interview explained.
‘One more time. It is hard to believe but if you want to fight in football and take the points you deserve you have to play for 95 minutes. We did everything well until 90 minutes, I didn’t see one shot from our opponent until then. We were leading but 1-0 is not enough. We had chances to kill the match and you have to do that. One minute before the red card Crystal Palace should be down to 10 men, it is clear.’
