Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has said that his side did not play how they had set out to in their 0-0 draw with Everton but were happy to take a point from the game.
The Eagles were on the back foot for the majority of the match but managed to secure a draw after Everton spurned several good chances to score.
Speaking after the game in his post-match press conference, Hodgson said that his side had planned to be attacking but were unable to impose themselves on the game and subsequently had to adjust their tactics.
As quoted by the club's official website, he said: "We dreamed of a different game, we dreamed of a game where we'd have a lot of possession and pass the ball around them and show some of the quality that we believe we have in the team but we weren't able to do that.
"Now you might say that's because you were playing against a very good team and they actually did pass the ball and play very well.
"I think there are games where they don't go the way you'd dreamed of them going and you have to play the game that's out there to play.
Palace can't find a breakthrough and it ends level. #CRYEVE pic.twitter.com/pOSAamq3X6
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) 27 April 2019
"The game that was out there today for us was where we dug in, we accepted it wasn't going to be one of our better days on the ball, they were going to have a situation where they were in our final third on a good number of occasions and we had to make certain our defending was as solid and as brave as it was."
Everton hit the post twice in the second half and were denied by a combination of last-ditch defending from Palace defenders and goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, who made an excellent save in the 76th minute to deny Cenk Tosun. Hodgson admitted that he wouldn't have had any complaints had Tosun scored and claimed all three points for the Toffees late on.
"Then of course we had to rely on the fact that if they do actually get through to clear shooting opportunities - and there was one very clear one - hope your goalkeeper can get you out of trouble and that's very much what Vicente did because, had they scored that goal and won it 1-0, I couldn't really come in here and cry scandal. I'd have to say, 'well they worked hard for that goal and in the end they got it.'"
The draw leaves Crystal Palace in 12th place in the Premier League.
The Eagles visit relegation-threatened Cardiff City next Saturday before facing Bournemouth on May 12.
Source : 90min