Hal Robson-Kanu Jeffrey Schlupp West Brom Crystal Palace Premier League

Afcon: Jeffrey Schlupp adds to Ghana's woes with season-ending injury

Ghana have been dealt another injury blow ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations as Crystal Palace utility man Jeffrey Schlupp has been ruled out of action for the rest of the season due to injury.

The German-born player suffered an ankle injury during Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League, and was substituted in the 19th minute.

Ahead of Sunday's trip to Arsenal, Palace manager Roy Hodgson has given an update on the 26-year-old's situation.

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"We have been a little bit unlucky in this latter period," Hodgson said at the pre-match press conference.

"It started with Mamadou [Sakho], then we lost James [McArthur] and now we've lost Jeff, which is of course [makes it] three big blows for us.

"He [Schlupp] won't play again this season.

"The ankle injury is such that it will take the three or so weeks we have left [to heal]."

Schlupp is in a race against time to regain fitness as Ghana coach James Kwesi Appiah is expected to unveil his provisional squad for the June 21-July 19 Afcon next month.

After over a year on the international wilderness, a series of fine performances at club level earned the versatile player a recall for games against Kenya and Mauritania earlier this month.

So far this season, he has made 30 Premier League appearances involving, starting 18 times and scoring four goals for Palace.

Schlupp's injury adds to existing injury worries about Leicester City's Daniel Amartey, USA-based Harrison Afful and captain Asamoah Gyan.

Ghana have been drawn against defending champions Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau in Group F of the Afcon finals. 
 

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