Despite playing just eight games since his loan move from Liverpool, Mamadou Sakho has been shortlisted on the Crystal Palace Player of the Year award.

The Frenchman was bought to Selhurst Park by Sam Allardyce, who was desperate to improve the clubs' leaky defence - a defence that caused the club to fall into the relegation zone around Christmas.

As soon as Sakho kicked his first ball for Palace, the back-line looked incomparably more solid and with the Frenchman in the team, the Eagles have climbed out of trouble and look set to retain their Premier League status.

His player of the season nomination has surprised many football fans outside of South London, given that he has only featured in a quarter of Palace's games this campaign.

However, the Selhurst Park faithful see the nomination as justification for the impact that Sakho has had on their entire campaign.

Social media reacted with both surprise and joy at the news of Sakho's shortlisting...

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/football-excuses.mp4