Crystal Palace Face Goalkeeping Crisis as Julián Speroni Faces 8-Week Lay-Off With Knee Injury

Crystal Palace's Premier League survival hopes have been dealt a further blow, after receiving the news that their veteran goalkeeper Julián Speroni has been ruled out of action for eight weeks with a knee injury.

As reported by the Sun, the 38-year-old picked up the knee injury during a training session earlier in the week, and tests have revealed that he faces at least two months on the sidelines. This leaves the Eagles with just one senior goalkeeper at their disposal - Welsh international Wayne Hennessey.

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Palace failed to sign a goalkeeper in January, despite coming close to signing Getafe stopper Vicente Guaita. The Eagles were rumoured to have offered the La Liga side a particularly low sum of money for his services, given that his contract expires at the end of the season. The south Londoners may well be regretting their decision to stump up the necessary cash to sign the Spaniard.

The news of Speroni's injury comes in the wake of the news that Roy Hodgson will be without his star forward Wilfried Zaha for at least month, who picked up a knee injury in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with fellow relegation candidates Newcastle United. Palace currently sit 14th in the table - just three points off the bottom three in a tightly-packed group of teams.

Meanwhile, Palace captain Jason Puncheon has revealed that he's well on the way to recovery from his knee injury suffered against Manchester City on New Year's Eve. The 31-year-old has told fans that he is now able to walk without crutches, and should be free of his knee brace within six weeks. Puncheon is just one of nine first team players currently out of action.