At 76, Roy Hodgson has been around the football block a few times but hearing how goalkeeper Vicente Guaita had answered the tweet from Crystal Palace account’s listing Saturday’s XI, half an hour before kick-off, with “where is my name?” was a new one on him.
Guaita is out of favour after refusing to play in pre-season so who he was blaming is a puzzle. And, given how rarely Sam Johnstone was troubled, Guaita missed an easy outing, as this contest was decided by an Odsonne Édouard strike. He stuck a boot out to poke past Wes Foderingham, Sheffield United’s goalkeeper, after Jordan Ayew dropped a shoulder to gain a yard on Ben Osborn before whipping over a classic slicing cross from the right.
Asked about Guaita’s tweet, Hodgson said: “I didn’t know that happened – I’m glad we got through today, our keeper was largely untroubled. That type of thing would be something that he and the club would have to sort out. For me that doesn’t have any effect.”
Hodgson also had a 63rd-minute coming together with Sheffield United’s Max Lowe, after the player pushed his stomach when going for the ball, the pair momentarily grappling.
“I suppose I don’t take many challenges these days at my age, so it took me by surprise,” said Hodgson. “It was nothing and immediately afterwards Max Lowe looked over and we smiled. He realised he hadn’t done a lot to hurt me and I was probably surprised I’ve got the energy to react the way I did.”
In blazing sunshine the home side returned to the Premier League promising they will “not build the narrative” around being underdogs in 2023-24. Yet in mentioning it in his programme notes, Paul Heckingbottom did precisely this. Why he cares is a puzzle, as harnessing a them-against-us mentality may be the club’s best hope of survival.
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Heckingbottom’s analysis of this reverse correctly surmised that United were not embarrassed but Palace did breach Foderingham’s goal twice more, even if the efforts of Ayew (in the first half) and Édouard (after his winner) were flagged offside. He said: “I can’t be critical but I think we needed the first goal – by being disruptive, aggressive, we made an impact.”
Manager’s programme notes should not be a hotbed of news but another Heckingbottom sentence caught the eye, as he wrote: “It would be remiss if I did not mention our biggest concern, losing very influential players as we have.” Referring to the loss of Sander Berge (to Burnley) and Iliman Ndiaye (to Marseille) did not read as a vote of confidence for the side he sent out for this return to the big time after two seasons in the Championship. “There’s certainty 1 or 2 we want in – hopefully before the next game,” he said.
Will Osula, a 20-year-old with seven league substitute appearances, was the effective replacement for Ndiaye, operating as the lone forward. His was the first shot that beat Johnstone, though not the keeper’s right post.
For Palace, Eberechi Eze drove at the home rearguard and had an effort blocked, as the visitors sought to kickstart a new era, which might be called “life after Wilfried Zaha”, after the 30-year-old’s move to Galatasaray.
Hodgson, who may lose the injured Michael Olise (Chelsea are interested) used a 4-2-3-1 that cancelled out the hosts’ 5-4-1 and the first half was the stalemate that may be expected from sides whose first instinct is to retain top-flight status.
Palace dominated after the interval, meaning a flash of quality for the home side was needed to draw level. Bénie Traoré had the chance to illustrate he could provide it but his pass went to absolutely no one and so with 10 minutes left Heckingbottom made a triple change – Traoré lucky to remain involved – but this did not work.
Gustavo Hamer, for £15m, has come in as Berge’s replacement but this evidence suggests Heckingbottom will have to be a transfer-market magician to acquire the stardust needed to avoid each match day being the latest instalment in an unwanted underdog narrative.
