Crystal Palace boss provides Michael Olise injury news and sets possible return date

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner hopes Michael Olise can make a return to first-team training by the start of April.

But the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss has said he wants to look after the attacker in his recovery from injury. 

The 22-year-old suffered his third hamstring injury of the season in the 4-1 defeat at Brighton, coming off 11 minutes after being introduced as a substitute at half-time. 

Olise has already begun light individual training as he steps up his recovery. 

The French youth international’s injury-ravaged season began in the summer when he required surgery on a grade three hamstring tear he picked up in the U21 Euros.

Olise then suffered a setback in his recovery and did not make his first Premier League appearance until November – a substitute cameo in the 3-2 defeat at home to Everton.

The former Reading youngster picked up nine goal contributions in 10 games before being sidelined again.

Olise picked up the London Football Awards Goal of the Year on Thursday evening for his strike in the 2-1 defeat at Luton.

Glasner said: “It was nice that Michael received the award for goal of the year yesterday evening.

“We all congratulated him today – he deserves it. Michael is a player, all the players are, who wants to train football.

“It’s tough for him to train in the gym and run when he can’t play football.

“We don’t know exactly but we expect him back at the end of March or April [as long as] everything goes well and our medical department does a great job.

“He’s also very ambitious to train with us. Maybe after the national team break, he can be with us in training.

“That was his third injury this season so we’ll take care of him.”