Hodgson facing Palace Boxing Day problems

Roy Hodgson’s Palace reportedly has five major injuries ahead of the clash against the Irons at Selhurst Park.

But he expects both Victor Camarasa and Mamadou Sakho – absent from the 1-0 defeat against Newcastle – to be back in action.

Camarasa missed out through illness whilst Sakho’s three match ban ran out ahead of the game against us on Boxing Day.

However, many of the absent players are expected to remain sidelined, including Joel Ward, Gary Cahill, Jeffrey Schlupp, Scott Dann and Andros Townsend.

The Hammers, however, look in pretty good nick with Lukasz Fabianski apparently close to a return although he is considered more likely to appear against Leicester City on Saturday with David Martin keeping his place for the trip to Selhurst Park.

Manuel Lanzini is also expected to return to the squad whilst Ryan Fredericks misses out through suspension with Pablo Zabaleta in line to take on the job of keeping Wilfried Zaha quiet.