Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has expressed his disappointment over the manner Chelsea came all-out in their 2-0 victory over his team as he had expected that the Blues would “be a bit jaded or not paying to their full potential”.

Two second half goals by Tammy Abraham and Christian Pulisic were all that Chelsea needed to defeat palace.

The former Three Lions manager deployed a tried and tested 4-5-1 formation on his 300th outing as a Premier League manager.

And his team initially displayed the same manner of determined defending that helped them to a win at Manchester United in August and a recent point at Arsenal.

But unlike in their successes at Old Trafford and the Emirates, Palace were unable to offer any attacking threat going forward.

The visitors eventually crumbled under the ceaseless attacks by Chelsea.

“I don’t need to reproach the team at all,” Hodgson said.

“One can always hope that after a Champions League game you meet an opponent who might be a bit jaded or not paying to their full potential and their highest level but that certainly wasn’t the case.

“I thought that we weathered the early storm well. I thought the shape of the team and that the players worked hard to control an opponent in very good form. I have no criticism of them in any shape of form. Eventually, they scored a good goal. A good one-two to get them 1-0 up.

“At that stage we couldn’t turn around and say that was lucky on their part or that they hadn’t worked hard to deserve it. Their second goal was a little bit unfortunate for us. We were starting to grow into the game.

“We were starting to look a little bit more likely ourselves. The shot was blocked and then looped up in the air kindly for Pulisic to score the second goal and from then on it was difficult for us to get back into it.

“But we didn’t give up we kept playing right to the end and this is an unfortunate spell we find ourselves in playing against the top teams in the land. As I said when we lost to Man City and Leicester, I can’t sit here and say I am honestly disappointed with our performance.”

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