Palace Batter Leeds Making It A Perfect Start For Hodgson

It had been quite some time since the Eagles last returned from Elland Road with all three points but a blistering second half performance blew the hosts away to give Roy Hodgson a 100% record on his return to the club.

TIME/ DATE/ VENUE

• 2pm
• 9^th April 2023
• Elland Road, Beeston, Leeds LS11 0ES

RESULT

Leeds United 1-5 Crystal Palace

PLAYER RATINGS

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 5 James TOMKINS, 8 Albert Sambi LOKONGA, 41 Joe WHITWORTH, 44 Jairo RIEDEWALD

OPPOSITION LINE-UP

UNSED SUBSTITUTES – 10 Crysencio SUMMERVILLE, 22 Joel ROBLES, 42 Sam GREENWOOD

TEB VERDICT

Conceding midway through the first half at Leeds had many a Palace fan thinking the worst after some of the other results this weekend, but there was no need to worry.

The importance of the equaliser right before the break cannot be underestimated as it set Palace up nicely for the second half, but there were very few that expected such a capitulation by Leeds although the credit must go to some very exciting play by Palace.

Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise tore the hosts to shreds with Jordan Ayew playing a starring role. While this was a team performance, a shout out has to go to Sam Johnstone who replaced the injured Vicente Guaita and made a string of first half saves to set the platform for the second half onslaught.

Palace fans could have been forgiven for drooling at some of the attacking play on show by the visiting side and bodes very well for the run in with the Eagles only needing two more wins to keep them arms length of being involved in any silliness at the end of the season. Having said that, the gap to 11^th placed Chelsea is now down to just 6 points!

POST GAME QUOTES

ROY HODGSON

“The second half was very good in every respect. We had to weather a storm in the first half. We were struggling to come to terms with it. We got that equaliser which was worth its weight in gold. The second half was a different performance. We had a lot of control. The quality of players we have profited from the spaces opening in front of us. Leeds are an attacking side and players can’t be in two places at once.

At half-time we were able to talk together and make it clear we needed more aggression. Leeds were more aggressive in the first half. We were being pegged back by that type of play. The players happily accepted it and did it in the second half. We earned the right to play some of that football.

If I had to single out someone who doesn’t a lot of praise it would be Jordan Ayew. His work-rate helped us enormously. It put out a marker.”

JAVI GRACIA

“We did a very good first half where we had the chance to kill the game. Of course, conceding the goal before half-time changed the game and we didn’t start the second half at the same level as the first. Then the game was really tough for us. Palace have very good players to play with spaces and they killed us. The second half is the worst moment from my arrival because in the rest of the games, and today in the first half, we have competed always.”

MATCH STATISTICS

POSITION IN THE TABLE (at the final whistle)

UPCOMING FIXTURES

15/04/23 Southampton (a) – Premier League (3pm)

22/04/23 Everton (h) – Premier League (3pm)

25/04/23 Wolves (a) – Premier League (7.30pm)