Monday 24 December 2018 21:30, UK
Roy Hodgson labelled his side's shock win over Manchester City as "bonus points," but feels it will count for little if Crystal Palace cannot beat Cardiff.
Palace claimed a 3-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to see City fall four points off the summit at Christmas.
They return to action on Boxing Day when they face Cardiff at Selhurst Park, and Hodgson feels a defeat would simply see his side undo their hard work in Manchester and essentially "swap the games around".
"We know it's going to be a very difficult game. We were under the impression it might be a really crucial fixture if we want to get up to something like 18 or 19 points in the first half of the season," Hodgson told Sky Sports.
"I suppose this win [at City] has relieved that pressure slightly but not for me it hasn't and not for the players. If we're going to take advantage of these three, you could call them bonus points because not many people expected us to get them, we need to get a result again against Cardiff.
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"If we were to lose that game at home then all we've done really is swap the games around. I've already made that clear to the players and I've been making it clear to them for a while, I fully trust that they'll take that message on board."
Hodgson also delivered an injury update on main striker Christian Benteke, who has missed a large portion of the season but is in line to return in the new year.
"He was actually a week ahead of schedule and we were hoping he might be back in training, maybe next week with the team," said Hodgson.
"I think that's now been put back, so it will be maybe after the FA Cup tie. But he's absolutely determined to get back on that field of play and score the goals that he was bought for by the club."
