Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson believes that there could be an argument to suggest Roy Hodgson did a better job with keeping Crystal Palace in the Premier League than Pep Guardiola achieved by winning the title last season.
Hodgson took charge of a Crystal Palace side last season who had lost their first four league games without scoring a goal and went on to lose three more games before tasting success with a shock win over Chelsea.
A seven-game losing start to the campaign meant very few gave the Eagles any hope of surviving in the league, but the former England manager repaired their form and they went on to finish eleventh in the Premier League.
Lawrenson, whose beloved Liverpool take on the Eagles at Selhurst Park on Monday, admits that he expected the 71-year-old to keep Crystal Palace in the top tier as he has the ability to make his teams tough to beat, but has conceded that he didn’t expect such a turnaround in form.
The former defender feels Hodgson deserves more credit for keeping Crystal Palace in the Premier League than Guardiola got for winning the league last season as the former England boss didn’t have the resources the Manchester City manager had.
Asked if he was surprised by Hodgson’s management last season, the Liverpool legend said on LFC TV’s Preview Show: “I am surprised by how well he has done.
“I thought he would keep them up as the whole thing about Roy Hodgson’s coaching is making his teams really difficult to play against and therefore, difficult to beat.
“He was the perfect man at that time, but they didn’t score a goal for ages and his first few games were really tough.”
The former Red continued: “He has done an absolutely brilliant job and to finish eleventh, you might argue he might have done an even better job than Guardiola.
“Guardiola had all those top players and he had to kind of beg, steal and borrow players.
“I think he has done a fabulous job but that’s his forte teams like Crystal Palace.”
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool will be hoping to break down Crystal Palace on Monday night when they head to Selhurst Park, a ground at which the Reds have won on their last four visits.
