Palace to rest defender Sakho due to injury

Crystal Palace centre back Mamadou Sakho is out of Wednesday's Premier League game with Manchester United after limping off in their last match, manager Roy Hodgson said on Tuesday. Sakho was substituted in the 77th minute of Palace's 4-1 win over Leicester City on Saturday and Hodgson is uncertain if the problem will rule the Frenchman out for a longer period.

"We don't know yet, he's being assessed. We have to wait and see what the diagnosis is," Hodgson told a news conference. "He won't be playing tomorrow, that I can obviously state. I can't yet comment on how serious or minor the injury is."

Palace, who are 13th in the table with 30 points from 27 games, are unbeaten in four league matches and Hodgson said their fine form in recent weeks had resulted in a buoyant atmosphere within the club. "I've not felt at any point in the season that there's been a lack of confidence but wins are so important in this league and when you're in the situation in the table where we often find ourselves, wins are few and far between," Hodgson said.

"When you get a spell as we've had... of course the mood's going to be buoyant and players' confidence should be improving all the time as a result."