MX23RW : Friday, April 3 14:06:45| >> :120:7264:7264:
Feb 8, 2020 at 12.30pm UK at Goodison Park
Attendance: 38,987
Everton
3-1
Crystal Palace
Bernard (18'), Richarlison (58'), Calvert-Lewin (88')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Benteke (51')

Roy Hodgson has no doubts over new Crystal Palace contract

Roy Hodgson has no doubts over new Crystal Palace contract
© Reuters
Roy Hodgson discussed the future of West Brom full-back Nathan Ferguson.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is confident chairman Steve Parish will put a new contract in front of him soon.

The Eagles are in the middle of a poor run of form, with one win registered from their last 11 matches in all competitions.

A trip to Merseyside to face a resurgent Everton on Saturday is up next, where Palace will hope to halt a recent slide which has seen talk of a top-seven finish turn into relegation fears again.

Since Hodgson replaced Frank De Boer in September 2017, he has steered the club to safety in both of his two seasons in charge, but his current deal at the club is due to expire this summer and recent reports have suggested talks over new terms have stalled.

"I can't demand that a contract is put on the table, that has to come from them, but I have never had any real doubt or fears that wouldn't happen," the Palace manager said.

"Certainly it has been made clear to me now that's something the chairman really wants to do. He wants to put that contract in front of me for me to look at and sign.

"So here we are, obviously a lot closer in that respect than maybe some people have given the club credit for."

Hodgson insisted there was plenty to be positive about, despite the Eagles now sitting only six points above the bottom three.

Safety is always the prime target for the club and the 72-year-old feels that will be achieved again this season.

Asked if Palace can eye loftier ambitions, Hodgson added: "You have to be very careful before you start pushing barriers higher and higher.

"It is getting harder and harder just to reach that barrier that so many of us at the start of the season see as our major goal to have the club in the same league at the end of the season.

"There are literally half a dozen teams who wouldn't even contemplate it but there are a lot more that do because we know how tough the competition is and how easy it is to get into a run of negative results.

"It is a question of keeping your feet on the ground, keeping level headed, but certainly I would never wish to say to our fans that the only ambition this club has is to stay in the league. That's not true at all.

"Of course to improve our ambition we have to make certain that the recruitment matches our ambition."

Palace's manager feels that had Nathan Ferguson moved to SE25 from West Brom on deadline day, the outlook would be a lot more positive.

That failed transfer, coupled with new loan signing Cenk Tosun suffering a hamstring injury, has contributed to negatives building up.

Hodgson admitted Ferguson could still complete a switch to Palace in the summer if an operation on his knee goes successfully, with the full-back out of contract at the end of the season.

"We don't deny that this is a player we would have liked to have signed until such time as this situation occurred and it's got to be resolved now by this operation," he said.

"After the operation we'll know so much more, so at this moment in time it's very difficult for me to say this is what we want to do or this is not what we are going to do.

"We've got to wait until the operation's over, get the information back, find out what it means and then hopefully kick on from there."

ID:389088:

Click here for more stories about Roy Hodgson

Click here for more stories about Crystal Palace

Share this article now:
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on January 26, 2020
Read Next:
Premier League week 26 predictions including Manchester City vs. West Ham
>
Latest Sports Video
Did you know...?
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.

rhs 2.0
Live scores banner
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool29271166214582
2Manchester CityMan City28183768313757
3Leicester CityLeicester29165858283053
4Chelsea29146951391248
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd29129844301445
6Wolverhampton WanderersWolves29101364134743
7Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd28111073025543
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs29118104740741
9Arsenal2891364036440
10Burnley29116123440-639
11Crystal Palace29109102632-639
12Everton29107123746-937
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2998122541-1635
14Southampton29104153552-1734
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton29611123240-829
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham2976163550-1527
17Watford2969142744-1727
18Bournemouth2976162947-1827
19Aston Villa2874173456-2225
20Norwich CityNorwich2956182552-2721

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!