Crystal Palace have been handed a double defensive injury boost ahead of their Premier League clash against, Leicester City with James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho both returning.

Confirming the news on Thursday, Roy Hodgson said that the centre-back duo had returned to first team training in what is set to be a huge boost for the Eagles’ upcoming match and for the rest of the campaign.

Both Tomkins and Sakho have been missing for a considerable amount of time with respective injury issues. The former has appeared on just five occasions in the Premier League this season, his last outing coming in the 4-0 thumping at the hands of Manchester City in mid-January.

Meanwhile, Sakho has also only made four appearances of his own, having been ruled out of the last 14 Premier League games.

Their returns certainly give the Eagles more options at centre-back, a position which was on the verge of becoming threadbare.

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Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has been forced to deputise in defense on numerous occasions, and whilst Gary Cahill has been consistent for Palace since the turn of the year, he has sustained a “minor problem” according to Hodgson.

Should he have been ruled out, this would have forced the former England boss to turn to 34-year-old Scott Dann. However, with the returns of both Tomkins and Sakho, it certainly relieves the pressure which had been building up at centre-back.

Heading into the clash against Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Monday, solid options would definitely have been required in order to keep the likes of the in-form Kelechi Iheanacho and the ever-dangerous Jamie Vardy quiet.

Whilst it might be too early for either Tomkins or Sakho to start in the East Midlands having only just returned, the fact that they could be called upon will be a huge relief to Hodgson and indeed Palace.

AND in more news, find out which HUGE transfer mistake Palace committed in 2016...