LONDON: Crystal Palace scored two late goals to earn a precious 2-1 win over Watford that moved Roy Hodgson’s side out of the Premier League relegation zone on Tuesday. Palace’s five-match unbeaten run seemed set to end and leave them bottom when Bakary Sako and James McArthur scored in quick succession after Watford’s Tom Cleverley was sent off. Having lost their opening seven league games without scoring – an English top-flight record – Palace have been rejuvenated since Hodgson, 70, took charge and are now in 17th place on 14 points and out of the bottom three for the first time. It was actually one of the worst Palace displays under Hodgson and Watford will be kicking themselves for not wrapping up the points before halftime. Published in Daily Times, December 14th 2017.