Eberechi Eze's visit to his former club QPR on Saturday for their FA Cup third-round tie against Fulham is being investigated by the Football Association; Eze's attendance was conditional on him complying with Covid-19 protocols and returning a negative coronavirus test
Wednesday 13 January 2021 15:35, UK
Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze should not be dropped despite showing "naivety" when he became the latest footballer to breach coronavirus protocols last weekend, says manager Roy Hodgson.
The playmaker attended former club Queens Park Rangers' FA Cup tie with Fulham on Saturday and failed to wear a mask at all times while at Loftus Road.
Eze, 22, was also not socially distanced, with just a seat between him and another person in the directors' box.
A statement from Palace on Monday insisted they would deal with the matter internally and described his actions as an "error of judgement".
"It was very disappointing. It was a lot of naivety on his part to think he was OK to do those things. It obviously isn't," Hodgson said, ahead of Palace's game against Arsenal on Thursday - live on Sky Sports.
"He has apologised and will learn a harsh lesson from it and we will have to act internally to make sure it is a lesson well and truly learned."
It is understood Eze's attendance was conditional on him complying with Covid-19 protocols and returning a negative coronavirus test. He complied with all of these.
The FA has told Sky Sports News it will be looking into Eze's attendance and the governing body has stated that, contrary to some reports, it did not grant the 22-year-old approval to go to the game.
Eze will be fined but will not be pulled out of the squad to face Arsenal.
"Does what Eze did deserve leaving him out? I don't think so," said Hodgson.
"But it does merit a fine. We take this very seriously. We don't want our players breaching coronavirus regulations.
"I think he did it naively and foolishly, not a determined gesture to break a rule but he did. We're not happy at all and we show that by fining him.
"I'm not a big fan of that over the years, but on this occasion, I think this error of judgement deserves it and he has to be cautious not to make them again."
Premier League officials are becoming increasingly concerned that breaches of coronavirus protocols and a lack of social distancing - particularly when celebrating goals - leaves football open to criticism, and vulnerable to a possible change in Government policy, where the game could be halted.
Chief executive Richard Masters has written to Premier League clubs to stress the importance of adhering to strengthened coronavirus protocols.
Masters warned that clubs should prepare for more matches to be postponed or rearranged at short notice.
"It is already clear that we must do all we can to efficiently utilise all available calendar slots, given there have been three significant Covid-19 outbreaks at clubs to date and we should therefore realistically plan for the fact that there may be more," Masters wrote in his letter.
"Inevitably, requests for postponements will be at short notice and present difficulties for all parties and we appreciate clubs' ongoing flexibility in helping us achieve our collective objectives."
