This article is part of Football FanCast’s Injury News series, which considers the impact of the latest updates on players’ fitness.
In Crystal Palace’s outing against Burnley, there was a rare chance to shine for one Crystal Palace man.
Scott Dann.
The former Blackburn centre-back had made just two Premier League starts prior to the trip to Turf Moor, having made just seven league starts last term after losing his place to Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins.
However, due to injures suffered by Gary Cahill and Joel Ward, as well as Sakho lacking match fitness, Dann took to the field alongside Tomkins and impressed, grabbing the assist for Wilfried Zaha’s goal while also completing six clearances.
The 32-year-old used to be somewhat of a talismanic figure for the south Londoners, scoring 11 Premier League goals between 2014-2018 while also being handed the captaincy by Alan Pardew back in 2016 – Dann also won the Players’ Player of the Year award in 2016 and has scored 15 goals in total across 154 appearances for the club.
However, one moment against Burnley epitomised his recent past as a Palace player.
Dann was forced off the field due to an ankle injury just on the hour-mark, while he was enjoying a commanding performance in his first time back in the side since mid-August.
The Englishman really hasn’t had much luck in a red and blue shirt in recent seasons, and this cruel, untimely incident at Turf Moor pretty much sums that up – he also missed Tuesday’s game against Bournemouth as a result of the ankle injury.
Dann also suffered a serious knee injury against Manchester City back in 2017, ruling him out of action for just under a year, in which time Sakho and Tomkins truly cemented themselves as two of the first names on the teamsheet.
For a half-fit Sakho to waltz off the bench and see out a routine 2-0 win for the Eagles just emphasises Dann’s ever-waning importance to this Palace side, and it is a sad state of affairs to see what used to be a pivotal figure now be nothing but a mere backup.
In other Crystal Palace news, these supporters have been drooling over a player who is becoming as important as Wilfried Zaha…