‘He’ll beat that’ – Palace boss Roy Hodgson provides Jesurun Rak-Sakyi injury update

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has backed Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to beat the injury return date set by the medical staff.

The 21-year-old Southwark-born winger has been missing since suffering a grade three hamstring tear in training in the build-up to the 2-0 win at Burnley.

Ex-Charlton loanee Rak-Sakyi made six substitute appearances in the Premier League this season before being sidelined.

He has missed the last seven outings in the top-flight.

Speaking ahead of Palace’s 2-2 draw at Man City, Hodgson said: “His injury was another one of those wretched injuries like Michael Olise, and Eberechi Eze had, and Lerma had one for a long time as well, and they are this grade three, and they involve a tendon.

“Invariably when that happens and that diagnostic comes back, I’m told the only way we’ll get his muscle back to where it should be is going to take this period of time.

“In Eze’s case it was well over two months and in Olise’s it was well over three months and I’m afraid that’s where Rak-Sakyi was. So I suppose to get a clear view myself on when can I expect them to be telling me: ‘He’s getting close again?’

“I’ll have to wait for that period of time to pass, but I watch him and see him every day and talk to him, and he’s very positive, and he’s certainly running, and if anything, he’ll be ahead of the curve.

“But because these injuries are difficult, when you’ve passed the curve as it were and you’re ready again, it’s not that easy for the player or the medical staff to say.

“As you saw with Olise, we thought he’d got there after about three months, and he immediately got injured again and missed another month, and they don’t want that to happen.

“We’ve got to be patient with Jes, but I think it’s very positive to see him out there every day. 

“His attitude is absolutely first class, and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t beat their deadline, as it were. I think he’ll beat that.”