Roy Hodgson challenges Wilfried Zaha to shut up opponents who try to stop him unfairly
The Crystal Palace forward declared after last week's 1-0 win at Huddersfield that "I would have to get my leg broken’ for an opponent to be sent off for fouling him
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Your support makes all the difference.Roy Hodgson has challenged Wilfried Zaha to answer opponents who try to stop him unfairly with goals as well as words.
The Crystal Palace forward declared after last week's 1-0 win at Huddersfield that "I would have to get my leg broken" for an opponent to be sent off for fouling him.
A clash with Huddersfield's Mathias Jorgensen, which followed by an especially bad tackle from behind by Watford's Abdoulaye Doucouré earlier in the season, sparked an emotional post-match reaction.
Hodgson, the Eagles manager, made it clear he supported his player in his desire to be protected by referees. But he argued that the sweetest form of revenge would come through winning performances on the pitch, starting with today's vist of Newcastle.
“Wilf is a person who has a strong sense of justice," he said. “Like all players with exceptional ability they need to be looked after that extra bit.
“They are also the people the public want to see. We pay our money really to see the artists, we don’t necessarily pay our money to see the artisans - and he is definitely an artist.
“But as far as I am concerned we put a lid on this one. He did the TV interview, he was asked the questions and he gave his honest answer.
“The answer that definitely came from the heart and was obviously boiling up inside him.
“And now as far as we are concerned he knows that is over, he knows what he has got to do.
“Of course, he also knows very well what everyone has been saying - the best way to answer criticism, the best way to deal with people who are trying to stop you unfairly is to punish them by using your skill, beating them and scoring goals.
“Certainly he has done that at the start of the season, three goals in four games is a very, very good return and if he can keep that going that is all that matters to us.”
Hodgson added that Palace would not be making any official representations either to the Premier League or the PGMOL, the refereeing governing body headed by Mike Riley.
"After every game, clubs are asked to comment and send in a report," he said. "I'm pretty certain we did that, as we do after every game. But there's been no specific contact with the Premier League or Mike Riley and his people at all. I see no reason for that. We've not made any overtures to the Premier League or the PGMOL. We are very supportive of him in everything. He said everything he had to say. We have to rely upon the referees seeing these fouls and taking appropriate action. Which they do, for the most part.”
Andre Marriner is the man who will officiate at Selhurst Park. Palace will be without forward Christian Benteke, who is still recovering from a knee injury.
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