Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson reveals big positive ahead of Brighton derby

BY SAM SMITH

Roy Hodgson has welcomed a few extra days for his depleted Crystal Palace squad to recover from fatigue.

The Eagles have played three matches in seven days and have lost several players to injury and suspension – particularly in defence.

But the South Londoners do not play again until next Monday when they host rivals Brighton and Hove Albion.

“We’ve got a few days, and we need those days to, first of all, recover,” Hodgson told Palace TV.

“We have some very, very fatigued players. That was obvious towards the end of the [Watford] game with some of the decisions people were making, they were running on empty really.”

Palace drew 0-0 at Watford on Saturday but lost Jeffrey Schlupp to a muscular injury. He joins Joel Ward (knee), Patrick van Aanholt (hamstring) and Mamadou Sakho (suspended) in being sidelined.

Gary Cahill returned from injury to start at Vicarage Road while Scott Dann was just about fit enough to be on the bench. Jairo Riedewald replaced Schlupp at half time.

“All these muscle injuries have to be assessed and the doctors won’t give you any idea at the moment to the extent of it.

“We were obliged to put Jairo in, and he did exceptionally well in a position that he certainly hasn’t played many games for us in. And to come into the second-half and play a Watford team who play the ball forward quickly – he coped very well.

“We were fortunate that happened because we really have been so unlucky. At the start of the season we said we don’t want injuries at right and left-back because we need [Joel] Ward and Patrick van Aanholt there all the time. We didn’t get that.”

PICTURE BY KEITH GILLARD