Hodgson in shock after ‘unfavourable’ scan results for Crystal Palace star – ‘it didn’t look good’
Crystal Palace’s new signing Dean Henderson is expected to remain out of action for an extended period after Roy Hodgson revealed that initial scans on the striker’s thigh injury did not provide good news. Henderson made his first appearance since signing from Manchester United for £20million on Tuesday night in the third round of the Carabeao Cup, but was replaced after just 20 minutes by Sam Johnston, who had previously been Palace’s number one at the start of the season.
Henderson missed the whole of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest due to an injury to his thigh, which necessitated surgery.
Crystal Palace boss Hodgson, whose side travel to Old Trafford on Saturday, hopes for more positive news from Henderson’s next scans, but admits the initial results are not promising.
“He’s had a scan and, unfortunately, the results weren’t very encouraging,” he said. “He’ll have a second scan in a week’s time and hopefully that’ll show some less damage than the first, but it didn’t look good.”
The French forward Edouard also sat out the cup game, which United lost 3-0, as he continues to struggle with a hamstring injury. Hodgson will change his team again for Saturday’s league clash at Old Trafford and is expecting the players to step up to the challenge. “It’s a fantastic football ground and we’re playing one of the best teams in the world – that’s something to look forward to rather than worry about or doubt,” he said.
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Manchester United manager Eric ten Hag has been thrust into the limelight this season, but former England boss Hodgson believes he will face the same challenges as any other manager.
“The bigger a club is in terms of support, the more money they make and the more fans they have, the more pressure there is,” said Hodgson, now aged 76. “But I think – and I’m sure ten Hag would agree – that, whether you’re at Man Utd, a lower league team in England or a club in Holland, the conundrum is the same. You have to work hard to get your team ready, and then you have to live with what they’re doing on the pitch and make the changes you can.
In the meantime, you need to accept that there will be outside criticism and people who will tell you that you’re not doing it correctly.
The reality is that the equation remains the same – it’s just the amount of noise and the amount of volume that changes. If you get better at blocking out the noise, I guess it’s just a matter of how strong your ears are.
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