Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson admits Mamadou Sakho's injury is a big blow.

The defender underwent knee surgery on Thursday.

Hodgson said: "We are going to miss him until such time as he gets fit again. There's no question of that. He has been very, very good for the bulk of the time I've been here.

"When I first came he was shrugging off some injuries but since he got fit, he has been exceptional, the latter half of last season and the whole of this season.

"Him and James Tomkins together have formed a fantastic partnership. There's no way you can lose a player like that without missing him, but I am fortunate that in Scott Dann and Martin Kelly there are two experienced Premier League players (capable of deputising).

"The most important thing was the surgery was successful. There's no timescale being put on that, but obviously it's a surgical operation, so he's not going to be coming back next week."