Mamadou Sakho’s knee injury is not as serious as feared and has not given up hope of playing for Crystal Palace again this season.

The Frenchman breathed a sigh of relief as it was revealed he bruised and strained ligaments during the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. Initially, there was a genuine concern the Liverpool defender - on loan at Palace - may have damaged cruciate ligaments. That is not the case.

Sakho – imperious for Palace during the recent run to avoid relegation – had to be carried off on a stretcher and such was the twist of his knee it seemed he faced a lengthy period of recovery.

Thankfully, the diagnosis is an absence of weeks rather than months, ensuring he will be fully fit for the start of next season and believes he can make a rapid recovery.