MX23RW : Monday, July 6 15:40:28| >> :120:8115:8115:
Jun 29, 2020 at 8pm UK at Selhurst Park
Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace
0-1
BurnleyBurnley

McCarthy (61')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Mee (62')
Tarkowski (58')

Roy Hodgson: 'Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke could be fit for Burnley clash'

Roy Hodgson: 'Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke could be fit for Burnley clash'
© Reuters
Wilfried Zaha hobbled out of Wednesday's 4-0 drubbing at Liverpool with a calf problem.

Roy Hodgson still hopes Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke will be available to bolster Crystal Palace's "weak" forward line in time for Monday's Premier League clash with Burnley.

Zaha hobbled out of Wednesday's 4-0 drubbing at Liverpool with a calf problem, while Benteke missed the Anfield trip entirely with a thigh complaint.

Ivory Coast forward Zaha missed training on Saturday as he continues to receive treatment, but Eagles boss Hodgson has refused to give up on either man being fit for the Selhurst Park encounter with Sean Dyche's Clarets.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace – Premier League – Anfield Stadium
Roy Hodgson is hoping to have the thumbs up to field Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke against Burnley (Darren Staples/PA)

Asked if Zaha could be ready for Monday, Hodgson said: "We don't know that yet, we've still got two days, he was having treatment this morning of course so didn't take part in the training session.

"But we're still hopeful that these next couple of days will see him recover from the minor injury that he suffered in the warm-up.

"And we're leaving the door open of course, because we would like him to play.

"We're very weak at the moment unfortunately in the forward positions.

"And the team we played against Bournemouth, with both Wilfried and Christian Benteke alongside Jordan Ayew, played so well and gave us such a threat. But when sadly two of those players are missing, it makes such a difference.

"Very few teams can take players of such quality out of their starting line-up and be as good.

"We're not writing off yet the chances of those two taking part in the game."

Goalkeeper Vicente Guaita is expected to overcome a thigh injury in time for Monday, while midfielder Luka Milivojevic should also return to the starting line-up.

Hodgson admits the truncated league campaign, coupled with Everton loanee Cenk Tosun's serious knee injury in March, continues to leave the Eagles light in attack.

"Milivojevic and Guaita look like they are going to be fit enough to play," said Hodgson. "So we should be a bit stronger than we were on Wednesday night.

AFC Bournemouth v Crystal Palace – Premier League – Vitality Stadium
Christian Benteke (left) could be fit in time for Crystal Palace's Burnley clash on Monday (Ian Walton/NMC Pool)

"Guaita, I rate his chances very highly. And when it comes to Wilf and Christian Benteke we'll still have to wait and see what the next two days bring.

"The squad wasn't that bad at the beginning of the season, and we strengthened in January by signing Cenk Tosun.

"That gave us the opportunity to let Conor Wickham go on loan (to Sheffield Wednesday). But now we find ourselves desperately missing both those players.

"That kind of thing can put a lot of pressure on a particular area of your squad, but we know what we have to do to get through that."

ID:404127:

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Liverpool's Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah celebrate a goal against Crystal Palace on June 24, 2020
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rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLiverpool33292272254789
2Manchester CityMan City33213981344766
3Leicester CityLeicester33177963313258
4Chelsea331761060441657
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd331510856332355
6Wolverhampton WanderersWolves33131374536952
7Arsenal33121384941849
8Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd33121293433148
9Burnley33137133746-946
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs32129115144745
11Everton32128124047-744
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331110123545-1043
13Southampton33134164255-1343
14Crystal Palace33119132840-1242
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton33812133544-936
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham3387184058-1831
17Watford33610172952-2328
18Aston Villa3376203662-2627
19Bournemouth3376203259-2727
20Norwich CityNorwich3356222561-3621

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