Heading home | Eze has returned to Palace with a muscle issue
(Picture: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has withdrawn from the England Under-21s squad.
The former Queens Park Rangers man, who joined Palace in a move worth nearly £20million over the summer, has returned to south London as a precautionary measure after feeling some muscle tightness.
Eze, 22, featured as a substitute in Friday's 3-1 win over Andorra for Aidy Boothroyd's side.
With qualification for next summer's European Championships already sealed, the Young Lions boss has been keen not to risk injury or the wrath of Premier League managers.
"We work closely with the clubs on the loading of the players," said Boothroyd.
"We've a good idea of when they come to us the game time they've had and the training loads they have gone through.
"One of the big plusses of this current England pathway is we have really good relationships with coaches. When it's a tough situation we work with them and not against them."
Eze went into the break on a high with a goal and an assist in Palace's 4-1 win over Leeds United, and Hodgson will hope the midfielder is fit enough to feature away at Burnley on Monday night.
Swansea defender Marc Guehi, on loan from Chelsea, and Sheffield United's Rhian Brewster have also withdrawn.
