‘He’s a star man’: Jamie Redknapp lauds Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze for his display against Arsenal, just days after winger broke Covid rules by going to watch his old side QPR in the FA Cup
- Eberechi Eze came under fire for returning to old side QPR for game vs Fulham
- Roy Hodgson admitted his star would learn a ‘harsh lesson’ from the breach
- However the 22-year-old impressed in his side’s clash away against Arsenal
- Pundit Jamie Redknapp lauded the youngster as the ‘best player on the pitch’
Jamie Redknapp piled praise on Crystal Palace youngster Eberechi Eze, describing him as the ‘best player on the pitch’ during his side’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal.
It comes in a week where the 22-year-old has received a lot of criticism after he broke Covid-19 protocol by sitting in the stands during Queens Park Rangers’ FA Cup clash with Fulham on Saturday.
Before Palace’s game with Arsenal, Eagles manager Roy Hodgson describe Eze as ‘naive’ and that his actions merited a fine.
Jamie Redknapp described Eberechi Eze as the ‘best player on the pitch’ against Arsenal
But Hodgson would have been impressed by Eze’s performance, much like Redknapp who praised him on Sky Sports after the final whistle.
At half-time, Redknapp said that Eze was the ‘best player on the pitch,’ with the scores between the sides goalless.
He added: ‘Eze has been so influential though I actually want to see more of him. (He’s) Very impressive he’s a star man. When he’s on the ball he’s so exciting to watch.’
The former Liverpool and Tottenham player also praised the Palace youngster before kick-off but stated that he needs to add goals to his game.
He said: He started at Arsenal, got released, it just goes to show you never give up in football as you never know where the future will take you.
‘The only thing that I would ask for his ability he should be getting more (goals). He’s got so much quality, when the ball is at his feet it’s effortless for him and not many players have that.’
Eze joined Palace back in August from QPR for a fee of £17million and has impressed since making his move.
Eze has been criticised for attending his former side QPR’s clash with Fulham on Saturday
He has scored two goals in the league, the first being a free-kick in a 4-1 victory over Leeds, before he scored from a sensational solo-run during a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United earlier this month.
Crystal Palace were furious with QPR for allowing Eze to return and watch his old club play despite the strict current coronavirus restrictions.
Eze, who has accepted he made an ‘error of judgement’ by going, is facing punishment by Palace for his trip to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium which left him at the centre of the Covid-19 breach storm.
A statement from Palace on Monday insisted they would deal with the matter internally, with the incident occurring a week after captain Luka Milivojevic was fined for mixing with Aleksandar Mitrovic and his family on New Year’s Eve.
Redknapp said he would like Eze to score more goals to progress his game even further
When quizzed about the incident, Hodgson said: ‘When he realised what he did – naively I must point out and without any malice – he was full of remorse, regret and wanted to take responsibility and apologise to everybody.
‘Do I think the foolish thing Eberechi did merits that he should be left out of the team and punished in that way? I don’t.
‘I don’t think what he did would merit that type of punishment, but it does merit a fine because a slap on the wrist isn’t really enough.’
