Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed Ghana defender Jeffrey Schlupp is fit and ready for all-important Premier League clash against Manchester United this weekend.

The versatile defender has been out of action for over a month after he went under the knife to fix injury picked up during their FA Cup third round defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion on January 8.

However, Schlupp has been declared fit and is very much likely to start the match at Old Trafford.

“I said last time that Jeffrey Schlupp and Martin Kelly were close to returning to full training, I think they had done one session with us before the Spurs game but they have trained all week and I am counting on those two being fit but they are the only two that are back in contention. All the other ones that were out are still injured,” said Hodgson.

“Wilfried is recovering ahead of schedule, but his running at the moment is pretty much in straight lines but we haven’t done those difficult things that need testing out for knee ligament injuries, i.e. the twisting and turning and then of course the contact with other players when you get back into normal training.”

Palace are a place above the relegation and need a positive result.