The match at Aston Villa on Saturday ended in a defeat, although Crystal Palace would’ve been more concerned with other issues than the three points. It wasn’t against the flow of play when Odsonne Edouard gave the Eagles the lead at Villa Park, and with four minutes left in the game, the visitors still had a lead. The south Londoners were ultimately denied even a draw as the hosts scored twice in stoppage time after an equalizer in the 87th minute. The news that their manager, Roy Hodgson, had a health crisis and didn’t travel would have undoubtedly been of far more importance to the players and the club in general, despite the apparent disappointment.
An crucial update on the manager’s health was posted on Tuesday on the official Crystal Palace website. It said, “We are happy to confirm Roy Hodgson oversaw Crystal Palace training today.” “The manager was not present at Saturday’s game at Villa Park but will be in the dugout for Saturday’s game against Fulham at Selhurst Park.” The first-team players will undoubtedly be extremely encouraged by that news, and it will likely help them as they get ready for the London derby against the Cottagers. With identical records of two victories, one draw, and two defeats thus far in their 2023–24 Premier League campaigns, both teams are now tied on seven points. Due to their superior goal differential, Palace is now ahead of their opponents in the standings, and Hodgson will make every effort to keep it that way.
