ROY Hodgson had some bad injury news for Crystal Palace fans after confirming Eberechi Eze has suffered a serious hamstring injury.
Eze came off late on in last week’s 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat at Old Trafford and didn’t feature in the subsequent Premier League victory at the same venue.
Hodgson was unable to confirm how long the England international faces on the sidelines but admitted it could be for more than a month.
The Eagles boss said: “He has got a hamstring problem – he has had a scan on it and obviously we will have to wait on a second scan, but it is a serious injury.
“I would prefer not to say (if it might take five to six weeks to recover) because I’m optimistic on these things, but the severity of the injury might suggest it’s as long as that.
“But to be fair, the medical team have been working very, very hard to shave off any time on the prognosis of the injury, but it was a blow for us.”
Eze joins Michael Olise in the treatment room and although disappointed to be without the duo, the Selhurst boss is keen for those stepping up to make the most of the opportunity.
“(Olise) s another one we are going to have to wait on,” the manager said.
“Two of our most creative players, we are going to have to wait on for a period of time – and it could even be a considerable period time.
“We are going to be dependent now, really, on the players who have come in to take their places in doing a good job, which to be fair they have been doing.
“I’m very satisfied with the way the team has been playing.
“And we’re a squad, so there is no point complaining about injuries.
“They do happen and you must never feel sorry for yourself.
“One or two of the players who have come in in the last two or three weeks who have not necessarily played from the start have come in and done exceptionally well.
“That is the way we have got to look at it.”
Brazilian Matheus Franca, however, is getting closer to making his Crystal Palace debut after the summer signing began first team training.
Hodgson added: “The good news with Matheus França is that he is no longer injured and he has been free to now join in with the squad.
“On Monday he was free to join in as a spare player, not taking part in the actual thrust of football.
“He couldn’t play in any game-like situations but he could join in as an extra body, which is good because he has not been doing that since he came to the club, so that’s a big stride forwards.
“We are going to need those two weeks in particular when I hope he will be released to train fully with the team.
“We are going to have to use those two weeks to try to get him up to some sort of speed to assess him.
“There is no doubt he has got talent, there is no question of that.
“He’s quite a big signing for the club.”
