Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson could give some minutes to young players in his squad when the Premier League resumes.
The Eagles, like many of their Premier League rivals, still have nine games to play in the 2019/20 campaign, with Palace sitting in 11th place in the division with 39 points from 29 games.
Palace are 12 points clear of the relegation zone with nine games to play and are looking well-placed for an eighth successive season in the top flight as they prepare for the resumption of the season.
Hodgson's men will face relegation-threatened Bournemouth in their first game back on Saturday, June 20, and ahead of the game, the Palace boss has been speaking about his squad, with the 72-year-old full of praise for how his players have handled the suspension of football due to the coronavirus pandemic and their recent return to training.
But Hodgson has hinted that he could give some game time to some of the younger players within his squad between now and the end of the season.
“We couldn’t really have asked for any more of the players, who are having to get themselves up and ready to play games in a fairly short spaces of time," he said, speaking to Premier League Productions.
"And to have to do it without the extra motivation of the fans being there to urge and push you on, because of course they won’t be there.
“The squad is going to be tested enormously and for those clubs that don’t have big squads, I think we will find ourselves looking towards some of the younger players who maybe haven’t featured as often for the first team and pushing them into service, and hopefully they will be ready for it.”
Brandon Pierrick was the last youngster to be given his senior debut by Hodgson earlier this season, with the teenager coming off the bench against Norwich City in the Premier League on New Year's Day, before starting against Derby County in the FA Cup a few days later.
The 18-year-old had an impact in the 1-1 draw with the Canaries at Carrow Road, with Pierrick involved in the build-up to Connor Wickham's equaliser.
Pierrick has been pictured training with the first team in recent days and he will be one of the players hoping for more opportunities when the Premier League resumes.
