Friday 27 February 2015 10:34, UK
Alan Pardew has confirmed Fraizer Campbell will be out of action for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury.
The news comes as a blow to Palace ahead of their weekend clash at West Ham with fellow strikers Marouane Chamakh and Yaya Sanogo also sidelined through injury.
“Fraizer has picked up a hamstring to go with Yaya and Chamakh who will all be missing for this game,” Pardew told reporters on Thursday. “Everybody else is fit though so we have got plenty of options
“I think Fraizer is going to be a good five to six weeks. Sanogo is a possibility for QPR (in midweek) I would think, and Chamakh maybe too.
“Hopefully Fraizer will have a speedy recovery and we’ll see him before the end (of the season).
“I have always admired Fraizer from a distance so it’s fortunate that he landed in my lap and he’s done very well for me so we will miss him, and of course we are missing Yaya and Chamakh.
“So we have a bit of firepower missing from the team which is a shame at this stage but it’s not too long for the other two guys.”
Dwight Gayle and Glenn Murray are in contention to start up front for Palace at Upton Park this weekend in the absence of the missing strike trio.
Recent reports suggested Murray was set to join a Championship club on loan for the remainder of the season, but Pardew dismissed speculation linking the 31-year-old with a short-term move away from Selhurst Park.
“I never envisaged after giving him a contract three weeks ago that he would be going anywhere,” he said.
“So that is completely rubbish paper talk. If all the guys were fit he would still be here, and of course he is here, and he is available for selection for this game.”
