Relegation: ‘Bad market ‘for Watford Eagles quartet

Nigerian quartet of William Troost-Ekong, Emmanuel Dennis, Oghene Etebo and Samuel Kalu will make due with playing in the Championship division for the next season.

The Nigerians battled their Crystal Palace counterparts Saturday in one of the premier league fixtures but failed to prevent a loan goal defeat that sealed Watford relegation.

Interestingly it was Nigeria born France junior international Michael Olise who had the last laugh as Palace teammates and Ivorian international Wilfred Zaha converted a penalty in the 31st minute for the home side to do the damage.

Although Etebo and Kalu were unused substitutes in the encounter they nonetheless share the grief as victory and defeat are shared equally in the round leather game. Though elated at his sides victory Palace coach Patrick Vieira appeared to be sorry for Hodgson over team relegation.

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Patrick Vieira, who has proved an impressive Palace successor to Hodgson, said: ‘It’s always difficult for the manager to get relegated but it was a really difficult task arriving in the middle of the season and looking at his career as a manager he is an example for all the top coaches.’

Along with the reception Hodgson said he took pride from his side’s refusal to crumble with 10 men after Hassane Kamara’s 68th minute dismissal for two yellow cards and, in his words, ‘remain competitive until the last’ when they could have been forgiven doing otherwise.