LONDON, Feb 11 — Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has urged disgruntled fans not to turn their backs on the Premier League side, which is in danger of slipping into a relegation dogfight after a poor run of results left them languishing in 15th place.

Palace fans have protested against the club’s owners, with the latest criticism coming after their 4-1 thrashing this month by bitter rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

The 76-year-old Hodgson, who has managed England and Liverpool among several other clubs, said his team cannot lose the backing of their supporters when they host Chelsea in a London derby on Monday.

Fans "are the people that we cannot afford to have turned against us because we need them”, Hodgson told reporters. "It’s been the toughest period of my career for one reason, and that is that the fans have turned so much against us.

"If we’re going to win the games and this team is going to do well, they’re not going to be able to do it if the fans are going to be constantly up in arms about everything that’s happening.”

To make matters worse for Palace, they will be without injured duo Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise when they take on 11th-placed Chelsea at Selhurst Park.

"We in particular need (supporters) now because we are in a very weakened situation, and we could do with their assistance and sympathy, because there will be players playing on Monday night that have not played that many games in the Palace first team,” Hodgson said.

"They’re going to need a sympathetic eye rather than the ultra-critical.” — Reuters