Thursday 27 April 2017 23:04, UK
Sam Allardyce insists there is no centre-back crisis at Crystal Palace despite Mamadou Sakho suffering a twisted knee this week.
Sakho, on loan from Liverpool, was stretchered off during Palace's 1-0 home loss to Tottenham on Wednesday night, and Allardyce is unsure if he will play again this season.
Allardyce is already without fellow centre-backs James Tomkins and Scott Dann, who have serious injuries of their own.
But the Eagles boss said: "Under normal circumstances it would have been a crisis at this club and most clubs I have been at I would have been playing full-backs or midfielders at centre-half.
"But we have Martin Kelly and Damien Delaney to fill those slots. They have played together a lot and have a lot of experience, Kelly is playing in a position where he prefers.
"We hope they continue to do the job they have been with the protection from midfield. We can't afford another injury at centre-half between now and the end of the season."
Allardyce admits Sakho is "depressed" after enjoying his return to Premier League football with the Eagles, but insists the defender has the character to deal with the setback.
"There is no doubt about that. But you can't help being depressed when you are in that position. When you
have been playing so well and enjoying your football, then all of a sudden it is knocked back by an injury.
"That is why football in terms of what you do, you should realise that any minute something can hurt your career.
"You obviously hope it doesn't but at any minute it can so that is why they should dedicate themselves and enjoy themselves every minute that they can because you never know what is around the corner when you are playing such a competitive game."
