Crystal Palace correspondent Matt Woosnam has said that striker Odsonne Edouard has been carrying a 'slight knock' after he was named as a substitute against AFC Bournemouth. 

The Lowdown: Place on the bench

The 24-year-old was an unused substitute in a 3-0 defeat to Fulham on Boxing Day. He's started nine Premier League games so far this season, so many will have been expecting him to come in for the trip to the south coast.

However, Vieira once again named him on the bench, with the Eagles running out 2-0 winners thanks to first-half goals from Jordan Ayew and Eberechi Eze and Edouard coming on for the final 15 minutes.

The Latest: Woosnam's post

Woosnam took to Twitter prior to kick-off at the Vitality Stadium to share some news he's heard on Edouard.

He said that the player 'has been carrying a slight knock' which appears to explain his exclusion from the starting XI.

"Believe Odsonne Edouard has been carrying a slight knock which may explain at least in part why he isn't starting."

The Verdict: Makes sense

It seemed strange that Edouard didn't feature at Selhurst Park against Fulham, so he may have been struggling prior to domestic football returning.

Therefore, following Woosnam's claim, it makes sense for Vieira to be cautious when it comes to his fellow countryman, not wanting to make things worse.

The knock hasn't kept him out of the matchday squad, so hopefully, he'll be able to make himself available from the off in Palace's first fixture of 2023 against Tottenham, looking to repeat his double from last season.