ANDONI Iraola hailed the performance of Philip Billing after the Dane made his first league start of the calendar year against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.

Billing, who also served a three-match ban in that time, had been restricted to cameo appearances off the bench in the Premier League since starting the 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest in December.

But he was restored to the side and came close to finding the net against the Eagles, before being substituted just after the hour mark.

His replacement, Justin Kluivert, scored the only goal of the contest.

Asked initially about Kluivert’s impact, Iraola was keen to reserve praise for Billing.

He told the Daily Echo: “I thought also Philip played very well.

"He had a couple of clear chances. The crossbar one, he arrived really well.

“They (Billing and Kluivert) both gave us very good things from that position.”

Asked if Billing has brought himself back into his thoughts again with that performance after a spell out of the team, Iraola added: “He played well. He worked a lot, run a lot and he has been dangerous, with the header and a couple of good arrivals.

“It was not the easiest game to play, because they put a lot of players with their centre-backs, two more in the middle, with (Eberechi) Eze sometimes or (Jordan) Ayew sometimes.

“So they put a lot of players in the build-up, in the middle.

“If they want to go to press very, very aggressive, then it is not an easy game to play.

“I think he did really well.”