Crystal Palace boss Hodgson delighted with Edouard, Mateta options

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson is happy with strikers Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Hodgson says both can lead the line ahead of Thursday's FA Cup tie with Everton.

We're pleased to have Odsonne Edouard back," the manager explained. "Obviously he's only had a full week's training, after quite a long injury break, but he is fit to play now.

If I want to play him tomorrow, I can, or I can stick with Jean-Philippe Mateta who's been doing very, very well and has really taken his chance and profited since Edouard's injury.

I'm really hoping that those two will stay fit and stay in good form going into the new year, because you need players of that quality to lead your line in the Premier League and you also need that competition [between players] - it's not healthy that players can play knowing no one can take their place.

I think it's confidence with JP [that's helped him improve]. What's he changed? He's worked hard at his game and tried to take very much onboard the work that we Paddy McCarthy, Ray Lewington and myself do in training.

He takes onboard what we say in training, the messages and what we want to see from him. He's really understood more and more as time has gone by and he knows the things he has to do."