Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson praised his side’s defensive unit and thanked lady-luck after his side’s 1-0 win over Leicester. 

Jamie Vardy looked set to equalise for the visitors but his effort which was superbly palmed on to the post by league debutant Vicente Guaita, re-bounded kindly in to the keepers arms.

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“Today for the first time I can give credence to the old adage that good luck and bad luck even themselves out because we were lucky not to concede the equaliser,” said Hodgson.

“Vicente made a good save, but I was sure, knowing Jamie (Vardy), to expect the ball to hit the back of the net. We were very fortunate to see the ball come back off the post in to Vicente’s arms.”

Luka Milivojevic’s stunning strike pushed the Eagles up to 15th in the league but Hodgson felt his side’s defence was the key.

With Guaita in goal and Martin Kelly deputising for the suspended James Tomkins, it gave the team sheet an unfamiliar look to a side already missing Wilfried Zaha.

“Good to get a clean sheet, especially pleasing because we lost our goalkeeper (Wayne Hennessey) yesterday, so Vicente, although he played very well, was thrust in at the last minute with little preparation.

“We had to dig in to keep that clean sheet, so all credit to not only the goalkeeper but all the back four in front of him.”