R1MFD8 LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Roy Hodgson of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Arsenal FC at Selhurst Park on October 28, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (MB Media)
Roy Hodgson, the manager of Crystal Palace, has explained why Cheick Doucoure was absent from Saturday’s scoreless draw with Nottingham Forest at home.
Under the former England manager, the 23-year-old Mali international has played the entire 90 minutes in each Premier League contest this season.
Dean Henderson, Joel Ward, Jefferson Lerma, Michael Olise, Matheus Franca, and Eberechi Eze were among the other senior Eagles players out injured in addition to Doucoure.
Hodgson remarked, “I was surprised yesterday because Doucoure trained.
He claims that he has been feeling a little worn out since returning from foreign duty.
We have not had luck with international duty with Doucoure, Lerma, Olise, and Marc Guehi; it has lost us four players.
“Doucoure trained normally for the entire week; there was no mention of him being worn out or experiencing any kind of soreness or awareness in his muscles.
“It was a harsh blow for the training session to end yesterday, for him to finish the practice, and then to find out only a few minutes later that he wasn’t available.
It made us reevaluate and redesign.
