Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is certain that the Eagles can win games in the Premier League without talisman WilfriedZaha. Hodgson had to answer questions about the English-born Ivorian international winger after his team missed the quality of the player during the league defeat at Burnley on Monday night.
Crystal Palace had to navigate the trip to Burnley without Zaha after he returned a positive test for Covid-19. Without him, Burnley beat the Eagles 1-0 at home courtesy the first half goal from Chris Wood. The Clarets striker had not scored since the 4-2 loss at Leicester City on matchday 2 and had gone six games without a goal until the matchday9 meeting with Crystal Palace at Turf Moor.
Burnley had goalkeeper Nick Pope to thank for the points as he preserved the advantage from Chris Wood in the first half with a point blank saveto deny second half substitute Christian Eriksen. The result secured the first win of the new Premier League season for manager Sean Dyche and his Burnley team. It was also enough for the Clarets to climb above league newcomers Fulham and out of the relegation on the Premier League standings.
After the game, Crystal Palace manager Hodgson told journalists that his team is not overreliant on Zaha. The 73-year-old played down suggestions that Crystal Palace can’t get a result without Zaha who already has five goals from the first eight league games of the season. The Crystal Palace manager was quick to point out that his team has already scored 12 goals this season and that the tally is better than what was obtainable in previous seasons. According to Roy Hodgson, the goals will flow for his team in subsequent games. Hodgson and his Crystal Palace players would be hoping to be back amongst the goals when they host Newcastle United at Selhurst Park on Friday night in what’s the first game of the matchday 10 set of Premier League matches.