A year ago
Eze's two goals against Bournemouth didn't hurt England's chances in any way.
Despite Eberechi Eze scoring twice on the day, Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson stays out of Gareth Southgate's way when it comes to the England prospect.
The 24-year-old scored twice before halftime to lead his team to a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth at Selhurst Park. Depending on other matches this weekend, Bournemouth might still mathematically seal their Premier League safety.
Prior to the World Cup, it was rumored that Eze was among the players on Southgate's long list for England, but former manager Hodgson was adamant he would not attempt to sway any decisions on his midfielder's future with the national side.
It's a question for Gareth, he said. Gareth and [assistant manager] Steve Holland, I'm sorry. I am aware that they regularly monitor our team and the players, so they will have seen what I have seen. It will be entirely up to them to determine whether or not what they are seeing matches their expectations.
"While everyone would be happy for Ebs if he was chosen, I'm not going to be the one to start offering advice and advising the national team coach what to do.
"After four years of people telling me what I should be doing, Gareth Southgate, I established a firm rule that no one would ever pick up a newspaper and read, "Roy Hodgson thinks," if I ever returned to club football.
"Roy Hodgson thinks what he thinks," Gareth said. "If he ever wants to know what I'm thinking, he knows where to find me, and we're close enough friends for him to ask me."
Eze, who has now scored 10 goals for Palace this campaign, has flourished since Hodgson's appointment as manager in March and has attributed the 75-year-old with an improvement in play.
I won't be advising Southgate to select Eberechi Eze for England, according to Roy Hodgson
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