The manager said prior to kick-off: “It’s always a pleasure to welcome a team like Liverpool to Selhurst Park. We’re always up for these sorts of games. Luckily we go into it off the back of what we think to be good performances, and our mood is good – and I hope the players confidence is high, because it deserves to be.”
Hodgson was asked about Jordan Ayew’s selection, replacing the suspended Christian Beneteke, saying: “Jordan’s always done well for us, we’ve been fortunate that Christian when given his chance recently he has taken it, so we’ll miss him today - he would have been a handful for the Liverpool defence. But unfortunately we were robbed of that, but we’re happy to have Jordan to go in his place.
“The other three changes were players that I’ve brought back in from last weekend’s draw with Tottenham. I was given the luxury of being able to rest three players and put three equally good ones in for the West Ham game.”
One of which is Nathaniel Clyne, who was released by Liverpool following an extended absence through injury, but makes his 8th start for his boyhood club today. Hodgson said: “The thing about Nathaniel is that he got to be happy with the way he has recovered from a long, long absence from the game due to two quite serious injuries. I think it’s fantastic that he’s come back and produced the form he has for us, and he’ll be delighted to play against Liverpool today.”