Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has explained the long-term absence of striker Connor Wickham.

The striker, who ruptured his cruciate against Swansea City in November 2016, was on course for a return last month - only to break down again, but with a fresh injury.

"Connor did break down in training a month ago and that was because of his enthusiasm and his desire to push on," said Hodgson to the Croydon Advertiser.

"He's always fighting, or was always fighting the medical and sports science people that he can do more and he should be at a different level and should be in with the U23s playing already.

"They have told him to be careful, and of course what happened was he did push on and he did stretch their patience and advice to the limit, and they let him loose a little bit and he pulled his calf muscle, injured his his calf.

"Now, he's back out again training fully and he's fully recovered from that. He thinks his knee is fine."