Following Crystal Palace’s contentious loss to Liverpool, Roy Hodgson expressed that he would not feel any longing for football during his retirement.

Following Crystal Palace’s 2-1 loss to Liverpool, Roy Hodgson, the manager of the team, expressed his lack of enthusiasm for football. He conveyed his disappointment after Jordan Ayew received two yellow cards, giving Liverpool the upper hand. Despite Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty being matched by Mohamed Salah, the winning goal scored by Harvey Elliott in extra time propelled Liverpool to the top of the table. At 76 years old, Hodgson stated, “We’re placing excessive focus on the referees. Having been involved in football for a significant period, matches like today serve as a reminder that when I step away from the sport, I won’t feel any sense of longing.” The use of VAR led to disagreement, as it reversed a penalty decision for Palace in the first half and granted them a penalty kick in the second half.

Hodgson’s primary concerns were related to the interpretation of handball and the new guidelines regarding time-wasting and dissent. He expressed annoyance towards the yellow cards shown to his players and the conduct of players throughout the match. Hodgson also criticized Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk for his involvement in Ayew’s initial booking, stating, “If you are a member of Liverpool Football Club, there is no need for players like Van Dijk, who possess great skill and stature in the game, to attempt to provoke a player into receiving a yellow card simply by kicking a ball at him.” Crystal Palace’s performance in their most recent matches has been underwhelming, as they have only managed to win one out of their last nine games. As a result, they have dropped to the 14th position in the Premier League standings. Despite this setback, Hodgson maintains his belief that by making some potential additions in January, his team will be able to avoid relegation. However, he also acknowledges that achieving a top-10 finish would be quite challenging considering their current squad.

In contrast, Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, openly admitted that his team had a lackluster performance for the majority of the game. Nevertheless, he expressed satisfaction with the victory they secured.