Eberechi Eze Injured, Faces Long Spell on the Sideline

Crystal Palace forward, Eberechi Eze, has suffered a serious injury after a freak incident in training, team manager, Roy Hodgson, admitted yesterday.

Palace have not confirmed the extent of the problem but reports suggestthat the England Under-21 international is believed to have suffered an Achilles injury that could rule him out for up to eight months.

The 22-year-old midfielder who is on Nigeria’s radar to beef up Super Eagles ahead of both the AFCON 2021 and World Cup 2022, has impressed since joining from QPRfor £19.5m, scoring four goals in 36 games this season.

“It is devastating, particularly for him,” Hodgson told BT Sport.

“He has had a good season and such a good start to his Premier League career, getting better and better and is such a good guy as well.

“He is an important member of the team and to see that happen in a freak situation, it is almost impossible to understand how it happened. Then for it to be such a serious injury, we are all absolutely devastated for him. He is a resilient young man and will come back strongly.”

However, in Eze’s absence yesterday, Arsenal scored twice in injury time to stun Crystal Palace 3-1.

Roy Hodgson’s last home game in charge of the Eagles ended in disappointment.

The veteran manager Hodgson, 73, announced on Tuesday he will be leaving the club at the end of the season after four years in the job and was given a heart-felt reception from the returning home supporters.

But his farewell match at Selhurst Park ended in a last-gasp defeat as Gabriel Martinelli latched onto fellow substitute Martin Odegaard’s cross to convert from close range on 91 minutes before Nicolas Pepe coolly rolled in Arsenal’s third four minutes later.

Christian Benteke’s diving header from Andros Townsend’s free-kick levelled for the home side after Pepe had volleyed in to finish off a neat Arsenal move.

Palace can move up a place to 12th on the final day if they better Wolves’ result against Manchester United, while Arsenal kept alive their hopes of a top-six finish.