Roy Hodgson Unhappy With Everton Penalty Decision as Toffees Hold Palace to 2-2 Draw

Roy Hodgson has lamented two lost points after Crystal Palace threw the lead away twice in their 2-2 draw with Everton at Selhurst Park.

James McArthur and Wilfried Zaha had handed the hosts the lead on two occasions in a frenetic opening 45 minutes, but a controversial penalty and moment of defensive madness allowed the Toffees to peg them back.

Speaking to Palace's official site after the game, Hodgson rued his side's luck and concentration despite stating his happiness with the team's overall display.

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He said: “It was two points lost, not thrown away. Obviously we were unhappy with the two goals we conceded but a game of football is 96 minutes and a lot more happens in that than the few seconds that it takes to score or concede a goal. 

"If I look at total performance over the 96 minutes then I believe we played well enough to win the game.”

Everton were fortunate to receive help from referee Anthony Taylor after Oumar Niasse went down in the box easily following a Scott Dann challenge, and Hodgson stated that he didn't think that the spot kick should have been awarded.

He continued: “I’m pretty certain you asked David Unsworth the same question and he said that it was a foul, and now you’ll ask me and you’ll expect me to say that I didn’t think it was. 

"The only reason it was a penalty is because the referee gave it, so we could discuss it until the cows come home, but they scored it and that is the end of it.”

The veteran manager went on to add that his players would keep plugging away with the hope that points would soon follow if his side continued to perform admirably in the Premier League.

Hodgson said: “We have to keep doing more of the same. If good performances are the key to getting results, then we’ll get them. I would like to see our performances rewarded but that hasn’t happened over the last three or four games, and there’s no point sitting here saying we played well and deserved better – you get what you get. Deserving doesn’t come in it.”