Crystal Palace: Roy Hodgson addresses Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze injury latest

Star duo will want to face bitter rivals Brighton on Saturday
Dom Smith30 January 2024

Roy Hodgson admitted he will have to wait to determine the severity of injuries that saw match-winners Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze substituted in Crystal Palace’s 3-2 win over Sheffield United.

Eze scored twice and Olise picked up two assists and a goal as Palace eased pressure on manager Roy Hodgson. Their second victory in 13 games lifted them to 14th in the Premier League.

Olise was making his return after missing three games with a hamstring injury, but was replaced on 67 minutes as a precaution. Eze felt his hamstring after a sprint and came off after 78 minutes.

“We’re waiting to see what the prognosis is”, Hodgson said. “With any luck they’ll both be there [against Brighton].

“I think Michael is OK. With Eze, that was just unfortunate. It was a bursting run into the box and he started to feel his hamstring a bit.”

Hodgson said of the duo’s individual performances: “I was very pleased with two things. The first the first 60-odd minutes that they were on together we looked good, asked an awful lot of questions. But Sheffield United, full credit to them they scored two goals.

“If you look at all the other football clubs, even the ones up near the top of the league, I think you’ll find they also thrive, for the best part, on one or two of their star players.

Eze was also forced off at Selhurst Park
PA

“It’s not unusual that a team needs that type of creative talent to pull everybody through.

“We’ve been labouring under the criticism that we’ve only won one in so many games. That’s true, but those performances were not worthless performances. I never believe that when you’re not winning you’re not any good. I believe there’s a strength and quality in this group that will see us through.”

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder added about Eze and Olise: “The quality those two boys possess, you could see it lit up Palace. I’m not sure Dougie [Freedman] and Palace would accept £50m for [either] of those boys. We could have done with Olise having a few more days off. Those boys can destroy your game plan with individual brilliance.”

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