Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson believes the conditions at Vicarage Road played a big part in his side’s FA Cup quarter final defeat to Watford.
Andre Gray scored the winner with 10 minutes remaining, as Palace pushed for the winner following Michy Batshuayi’s equaliser; the Belgian’s fifth goal in his four appearances against Watford.
Palace saw off the Hornets in the semi final of the FA Cup in 2016 but failed to progress past Watford once again, in a game heavily affected by the conditions according to Hodgson.
Speaking after the game to Match of the Day, the Palace boss believed his side struggled to adapt to the wind in the first half but were in the ascendancy in the second after Batshuayi’s leveller.
It was a close game, once again a game at this stage of the season affected by conditions – the wind was difficult, and you can’t get the ball down on the ground as much. At half-time there wasn’t much to say – they had a lot of corners and used the wind to their advantage.
In the second half we played a lot better, got a deserved equaliser and we were looking like it could be us to get the second goal. But, it was the opposite, a good goal from Gray wins it for Watford.
Hodgson has now lost all three of his FA Cup quarter final’s as a manager, previously tasting defeat at this stage in the competition as Fulham boss in the 2008/09 and 2009/10 campaigns respectively.
