Roy Hodgson furious with rescheduled Manchester United fixture

Roy Hodgson has claimed the rescheduling of this week's clash with Manchester United will stop Wilfried Zaha playing against his former club.

Crystal Palace have scored just two goals in the last four games without their talismanic attacker – and failed to register a shot on target against Fulham on Sunday.

The Manchester United fixture had been originally scheduled for Saturday March 20. But because Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's team are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, the Premier League tie has been rearranged to this Wednesday.

And unhappy Hodgson said the Ivory Coast winger will likely not have recovered from his hamstring injury.

“I doubt it unfortunately,” he said. “I think we will have to wait. The Manchester United game thrust upon us is something we are pretty unhappy about, especially in this current state of affairs when we do have so many of our first-team players unavailable.

“It is pretty tough to play Man United now and then get three weeks off when we don't need three weeks off.

"I would have much preferred if this game had stayed where it was but it is part and parcel of being in the Premier League I guess and being involved in FA Cup competitions, the powers that be feel the need to move games and sometimes it will suit a team and sometimes it won't.

"But I have got to say the game coming up on Wednesday definitely does not suit us.

"I would have much preferred to have a week now to get some guys back in form and give some guys who aren't playing a few more days to possibly be ready.

"And most importantly give ourselves a chance to recover from two unbelievably difficult games against Brighton and Fulham where we have spent a lot of time working to defend out goal.”

After Palace's home game with West Brom on March 13, their next fixture will now be away at Everton after the international break on April 3.

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