CRYSTAL PALACE BOSS Roy Hodgson has called on his pointless and goalless side to “run their bollocks off” if they are to have any hope of pulling themselves out of their Premier League rut.

The Eagles manager, who replaced Frank de Boer at the helm midway through September, oversaw the club’s seventh straight top-flight defeat on Saturday, a 4-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester United.

The current international break could have been seen as a positive for Palace as they look to find a way to reverse their fortunes, but several key players will still not be available for selection once English football resumes.

As such, Hodgson believes sheer graft is the players’ only hope as the former England boss prepares for the daunting task of facing Chelsea next up.

“Christian Benteke won’t be back for a few weeks, so we still won’t have a recognised centre-forward,” the 70-year-old said.

“Wilf Zaha probably won’t be back and Ruben Loftus-Cheek can’t play (as he is on loan from Chelsea).

“So there are three quality players I can name off the top of my head who could have helped us do a better job against Chelsea.

But they’re not there, so it’s got to be the lads I put out there who go out and run their bollocks off – if you excuse my expression – to try to do the best job they can possibly do.”

Antonio Conte’s Blues travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday 14 October as the Premier League gets back under way.

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