Crystal Palace "dealt with" Newcastle United's attacking threat and were "constantly dangerous" themselves during their 1-0 victory over the Magpies, believes Eagles manager Roy Hodgson.
Newcastle dominated for the first hour, with Salomon Rondon missing a succession of opportunities for the home side at St James' Park.
Yet United failed to take advantage and, during the final 10 minutes of the game, DeAndre Yedlin clumsily upended Wilfried Zaha in the box, before Luka Milivojevic duly dispatched the resultant spot-kick, which proved to be the visitors' winning goal.
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In Hodgson's opinion, Palace threatened throughout, while the Eagles also dealt with Newcastle's crossing ability, and that's why they left Tyneside with all three points.
“It was a very important game; hard fought. I can be very, very proud of the team’s performance. We dealt with the attacking threat that Newcastle most certainly have," Hodgson said.
“They’re very good at crossing the ball, and getting bodies in the box, and competing for those crosses. I thought it was a sterling effort from our back four and our goalkeeper, and the midfield players helping us out as well, to make certain we kept a clean sheet.
“On the counter-attack, or even at the start of the game not on the counter-attack, we looked quite dangerous. We were constantly threatening and looking like we might score the goal.
"There's no one better from the spot [than Milivojevic]. It's great that Luka is doing that and it's the real skill, but we have to pay tribute to Wilfried Zaha, who keeps winning these penalties."
The result leaves Newcastle 15th on 35 points, just seven above 18th-placed Cardiff City, who have a game in hand on United.
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Palace, meanwhile, have moved up to 12th on 39 points, and Hodgson has now declared the Eagles as safe in the Premier League for another season.
"I think 39 points, with our goal-difference, will see us over the line," Hodgson replied when asked if he felt Palace were now safe following the game at St James' Park.
"It was a very hard-fought game and I'm pleased with the way we handled it. I am very, very proud of the team's performance.
“Luckily for us once again Wilf Zaha came to the fore and did what he does so well - dribbling past people in the penalty area and provoking the foul which gives Milivojevic, who’s been quite exceptional at taking penalties and scoring them, to give us the goal and the victory."
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