Watch Liverpool vs Crystal Palace live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 8pm on Wednesday; Kick-off 8.15pm
Tuesday 23 June 2020 17:12, UK
Roy Hodgson believes there is no reason why Crystal Palace cannot finish the Premier League campaign by qualifying for next season's Europa League, as long as his squad avoids sustaining injuries.
Four straight wins, including Saturday's 2-0 victory away at Bournemouth, have seen the Eagles reach ninth place in the top flight, level on points with eighth-placed Tottenham.
Ahead of Palace's visit to Anfield on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Premier League, Hodgson insists his team harbours ambitions of playing European football next season, with eight league matches remaining.
Defenders James Tomkins (thigh), Jeffrey Schlupp (hip) and Martin Kelly (calf) are the only absentees for the trip to Merseyside.
"Should the players be looking at Europe? There's no reason why they shouldn't," Hodgson said.
"But I get a little bit bored repeating myself. This is a period of time where you are going to need quite a few players. You need to be able to rotate.
"You're going to need to be able to deal with the injuries that are going to come up. Sometimes not massive injuries but injuries that keep people out of games.
"My only concern for the team is in certain areas of the field we don't have the cover or the amount of players we need to push on and make that concerted effort which will be needed to reach a European place.
"Having said that I've seen Wolves play virtually the same XI for long, long periods of time and, what's more, take on more matches than the rest have played.
"So we could be very lucky and if we can keep the 14 or 15 senior players we have fit then I believe we have a chance."
Palace head to Liverpool on Wednesday for what could have been Jurgen Klopp's side's Premier League title clincher, but for the Reds' 0-0 draw with Everton at the weekend.
Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson could return to the Liverpool starting XI after missing Sunday's game at Goodison Park.
Hodgson has dismissed suggestions that Liverpool could underperform while playing their home matches behind closed doors.
"There's no doubt Jurgen Klopp and the players would prefer to play in an Anfield with 60,000 spectators roaring them on but I think we've all come to terms with the fact that's not going to happen," he added.
"Nothing changes in terms of the quality Liverpool have, the way they play, their organisation, their determination also to keep going despite having had the league title in their pocket for quite a while.
"Nothing's going to change there. People sometimes argue that it's easier to play in empty stadia, I don't know.
"For me it's as always; 22 actors on the field, each doing his best to try to get a result. That's all I can hope for from my team."
Watch Liverpool vs Crystal Palace live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 8pm on Wednesday; Kick-off 8.15pm
