Roy Hodgson explains why Vicente Guaita missed out for Crystal Palace at Liverpool

BY ANDREW McSTEEN

Roy Hodgson has explained Vicente Guaita’s omission from Crystal Palace’s 4-0 defeat at Liverpool last night.

The Spanish stopper sat out the Premier League fixture on Merseyside. Wayne Hennessey started against the Reds with Stephen Henderson on the bench.

Guaita has been in excellent form for Palace this season, but Hodgson said: “He’s got a thigh strain and, of course, the problem there is kicking.

“So, I wouldn’t have been concerned about his ability to move around the goal area, but the problem is the kicking, so we didn’t take a chance on it.

“We were frightened that if we took a chance, he kicked a couple of balls and his thigh strain becomes a definite tear and then, of course, he’s going to be out for a long period of time.

“We can’t afford, apart from the three we’ve had out for a long time – Tomkins, Kelly and Schlupp – and now add Benteke to that. We really can’t afford to add any more players to that because simply as you saw tonight, we don’t have the bodies quite simply, with the experience to play at this level of football.”