Jairo Riedewald was an injury doubt before hip problem forced him off – Crystal Palace’s left-back plight is full-on crisis

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Roy Hodgson revealed that Jairo Riedewald was an injury doubt for Crystal Palace before tonight’s match with Brighton – with the Dutchman subbed off at the break.

Injuries to Jeffrey Schlupp and Patrick van Aanholt saw the former Ajax man – largely used in his sparse game time as an anchoring midfielder – fill in at left-back.

But Riedewald was replaced by James McArthur at the interval.

Palace manager Roy Hodgson said: “He was injured before the game. He was touch and go. He was due to play from the start of the week, after the Watford game when we knew there was no Van Aanholt and no Jeffrey Schlupp.

“He was our chosen alternative to play at left-back and in yesterday’s training – which is very light – he somehow contrived to get a slight knock on his hip which until the warm up today looked like it was going to keep him out of the game entirely.

“He came through the warm up and said he was ready and prepared to play but then only lasted until half time.
“He’s another injury we can add to our growing list and the worst thing is that they are all virtually in the same position. We have three players who can play left-back and we’ve lost all three. We’re now looking for a fourth – and that’s a hard task.

“Jeffrey Schlupp is a long-term injury. Andros Townsend is a long-term injury. Gary Cahill has had a minor operation – that will be a relatively long-term injury. Mamadou Sakho has got one more game of his suspension to serve.”