UK Edition
Scott Dann and Jason Puncheon injuries are so bad they may miss start of next season, says Roy Hodgson
Neither Crystal Palace captain Jason Puncheon nor vice-captain Scott Dann will play again this season after suffering cruciate ligament injuries in the weekend’s draw with Manchester City.
Both players are now facing a battle to be fit for the start of next season after picking up the injuries in challenges on City’s Kevin de Bruyne.
Speaking after Palace’s 2-1 victory over Southampton, manager Roy Hodgson said the spirited draw with the league leaders had come “at a price”.
He said: “It’s very bad news. They both have cruciate knee ligament injuries. Dann has got a cruciate knee ligament and meniscus injury to his anterior cruciate, and Jason Puncheon has got a rupture in his posterior cruciate ligament.
“Both will be seeing specialists, both will be having operations, I guess, when the swelling goes down.
“We won’t see anything of those players for the rest of our season and it is going to be hard for them to get ready even for the start of next season, because these are serious injuries.”
The meeting with City was overshadowed by a furore over the controversial penalty Palace were awarded for a challenge on winger Wilfried Zaha.
“The game against City was a good one and a good point and good performance,” said Hodgson. “I think we have rightly got some praise for our performance amongst all the pundits discussing penalties or not penalties.
“Occasionally one or two of them managed to mention that we played well enough to hold City to a draw, but it came at a high price because we lost two of our senior players.”
Their vctory over Southampton was secured by goals from James McArthur and Luka Milivojevic after Shane Long had given the home side the lead with his first goal since February last year.