Scott Dann desperate for Crystal Palace players to return from injury setbacks

Jack Rosser @JackRosser_20 December 2019

Crystal Palace will face a huge challenge if they cannot recover some of their injured players over the festive period, says Scott Dann.

Gary Cahill and Andros Townsend were added as long-term absentees to an ever-growing injury list at Selhurst Park this week.

The former underwent a minor operation, while Joel Ward and Patrick van Aanholt — the club’s only senior full-backs — are not expected to return over the new year, though the Dutchman is battling to come back from a hamstring injury as soon as possible.

Palace travel to Newcastle on Saturday before hosting West Ham on Boxing Day and make the trip to Southampton two days later and round off their festive run at Norwich on New Year’s day.

“It never gets easier,” Dann said of the Christmas run. “It seems like there are more games every season.

“We are used to it now, we know when this time comes it is time where recovery is really important.

“We’ve probably picked up a few too many injuries at the wrong time, but hopefully in the next few weeks leading into this period we can start to get people back.

“If not, whoever is going onto the pitch we have to play well, perform well and keep the performances going.

“We need to dig in and stick together as a team.”

As well as losing Ward and Van Aanholt, the next two in line to cover are also facing their own injury problems.

Jeffrey Schlupp, whose form was revived this month with two goals in as many games for Palace, is another long-term loss with a hip problem, while Jairo Riedewald, brought back in from the cold against Brighton on Monday night, was forced off after 45 minutes, leaving James McArthur at right-back.

Roy Hodgson will at least be bolstered by the imminent return of Mamadou Sakho from suspension during their run over Christmas — the Frenchman returning from a three- match ban against West Ham.

The situation — described by manager Hodgson as the worst he has faced in more than two years at the club — has only served to ramp up the pressure on Palace’s American owners in January.

In Pictures | Crystal Palace vs Brighton | 16/12/2019

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Joshua Harris and David Blitzer must sign off any Janaury spending proposed by Hodgson, chairman Steve Parish and sporting director Dougie Freedman.

The trio in London have been well aware since the start of the summer of exactly what is needed and Hodgson is desperate to ensure that some serious business is done having been disappointed with efforts over the summer window.

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