400 and counting: 10 of Hodgson’s best Premier League victories

After Arsene Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Harry Redknapp, Sam Allardyce, Steve Bruce and Mark Hughes, a new member: Roy Hodgson. That is, of course, on top of an exemplary record managing in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Finland and more.

We’ve picked out 10 of the best victories – seven at Crystal Palace and three elsewhere – to celebrate an immense managerial achievement of a true legend of the game…

#18: Arsenal 1-3 Blackburn Rovers – December 1997

David Seaman, Tony Adams, Martin Keown. Emmanuel Petit, Patrick Vieira, Marc Overmars. Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright, for goodness sake. It is hard to overstate the strength of Arsenal’s 1997/98 double winning side.

But that did nothing to overawe Hodgson’s Blackburn Rovers. After beating Derby County in his Premier League debut (#1), his tactics began to take hold. After all, a man who has managed Roberto Carlos, Roberto Baggio and Ronaldo in his career knows how to get attackers going.

After smashing Sheffield Wednesday 7-2 (#4), Hodgson and co. travelled to Highbury to take on Arsene Wenger’s soon-to-be crowned Premier League and FA Cup winners. After Overmars’ opening goal, Blackburn hit back in the second-half and earned a famous away victory.

#69: Manchester City 2-3 Fulham – April 2008

While the Europa League final stands as his towering achievement, Fulham’s ‘great escape’ of 2007/08 often goes overlooked.

By the new year, they had won just two of the opening 20 league games, and Hodgson took over what looked to be a sinking ship – but soon they began to turn it around.

Four wins from their last five, including this remarkable comeback from 2-0 down at the Etihad – the winner coming deep into stoppage time – saw them stay up on goal difference.

Hodgson would go on to produce back-to-back home victories against Manchester United at Craven Cottage by an aggregate score of 5-0 (#101 and #126), but more on the Red Devils later.

#215: Liverpool 0-1 West Brom – April 2012

A sweet return to Anfield as Peter Odemwingie scored the only goal for the Baggies, and Hodgson returned to the Black Country victorious.

It was a second win against Liverpool after victory at the Hawthorns a year earlier (#173) and represented the never-say-die attitude of his West Brom side – see their recovery from three goals down at St James’ Park against Newcastle as further proof (#180).

#221: Crystal Palace 2-1 Chelsea – October 2017

And now we get to the Selhurst years.

With Hodgson taking over Palace on a run of seven straight defeats and dead-certs for relegation – at least that’s how the media saw it – he pulled one of the great Premier League shocks out of the bag, stunning the champions in south London.

A Cesar Azpilicueta own goal opened the scoring, but Tiemoue Bakayoko hit back straight away and Palace were pegged back. Then, up stepped Wilfried Zaha with the winner, to spark jubilant celebrations across SE25.

And the rest, they say, is history.

Read Hodgson's Managerial Masterclass on that famous Chelsea win HERE.

#250: Crystal Palace 5-0 Leicester City – April 2018

What better way to celebrate your 250th Premier League game than with Palace’s record victory?

Goals from Zaha, James McArthur, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Patrick van Aanholt and Christian Benteke – yes, five different scorers – saw the Foxes swept aside amidst a flurry of attacking football, and remains the Eagles biggest result in the Premier League to this day.

#269: Manchester City 2-3 Crystal Palace – December 2018

Of course this one makes the list.

This afternoon seemed to be going to the usual plan whenever you face a Pep Guardiola side: Ilkay Gundogan scored early on and City were cantering to victory. But Palace had other ideas.

After Jeff Schlupp equalised, Andros Townsend scored one of the Premier League’s greatest ever goals with a rasping volley into the top-corner, giving the Eagles an unlikely lead. Luka Milivojevic’s penalty added a third, and despite Kevin De Bruyne’s late strike City were beaten – in some style.

Just three days before Christmas, this was some way to increase the festivities.

#287: Arsenal 2-3 Crystal Palace – April 2019

James McArthur: match-winner. It’s not often you can say that.

It’s fitting that one of Hodgson’s most trusted lieutenants should be the hero for a game on this list, and so it was at the Emirates Stadium.

In the spring sunshine in north London, Palace were in the mood. Christian Benteke scored the opener early on, before Mesut Ozil equalised just after half-time.

Then, in a seven minute flurry, Zaha and McArthur scored to send the travelling fans into delirium and leave Arsenal in turmoil.

In the battle of north v south, south won.

#292: Manchester United 1-2 Crystal Palace – August 2019

Told you we’d get back to Old Trafford.

Far from a classic, this one only really kicked off in the final minute of normal time. Palace had been leading for almost an hour through Jordan Ayew, before a suckerpunch: Dan James’ equaliser in the 89th minute.

Just as Man Utd pushed for a late winner to complete the turnaround, Patrick van Aanholt began marauding up-field and into the penalty area, where he smashed home the unlikeliest of winners to spark one of the great away end celebrations – all the more poignant as Palace’s next win at Old Trafford would come behind closed doors.

#352: Brighton 2-3 Crystal Palace – February 2021

Palace did not come into this one in good form, suffering consecutive defeats and largely written off before a ball was kicked.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s opener – a clever backheel for his first Palace goal – gave them hope, but after Joel Veltman’s equaliser it was all Brighton. The hosts had 75% of the possession, 25 shots to Palace’s three, 13 corners to our zero.

But the only important statistic is the scoreline, and Christian Benteke smashed home the winner in the 95th minute.

"It is unbelievable. They are getting away with it," said Veltman after the game. "It feels like a robbery of our points.”

Or as Joel Ward put it: “Smash and grab, baby!”

#399: Manchester United 0-1 Crystal Palace

The first manager to go unbeaten in five straight league games at Old Trafford: Roy Hodgson. How better to celebrate your imminent introduction into the ‘400 Club’?

For this one, we will just let you relive it in all its glory. Enjoy.

Congratulations Roy Hodgson on reaching 400 Premier League games.