November 17 2018

Cheikhou Kouyate (Photo: Official Palace website)

Crystal Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has heaped praise on Roy Hodgson and described him as a special manager.

Hodgson is coming under fire from a section of the Palace support with the team picking up a draw and six defeats from their last seven matches.

But Kouyate says he is thrilled to work under the former England boss and his backing him to get the Eagles winning again.

"For me it's unbelievable, because I never thought in my life I would work with him," said the ex-West Ham United star.

"He is a very good manager, he talks with the players and he knows how to bring you up to your best level. It is unbelievable.

"For me, he is very special. I took the chance to work with him because he is one of the best, everybody knows that and he is very good for me.

"Every game in the Premier League is so hard. Sometimes you play one game and you say in your mind, 'We are going to win this game'.

"But after one minute or two minutes, everything can change. We need to focus, to have more concentration and battle more and if we do that, we will have something."