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Crystal Palace midfielder Joe Ledley is having to carefully manage the injury he aggravated while playing for Wales.
The nagging hip problem flared up last month and he is getting extra rest between games to speed up his recovery.
Ledley played against Manchester City on Monday and is available to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light tomorrow.
However, he said: “It is still not right. I jarred it pretty badly when I played for Wales so I just need a little bit of time for it to settle down and then I can go again.
“I did not train for all of last week, I just trained a bit on the Sunday, but with injuries and Mile [Jedinak] suspended, I had to get chucked in. I just manage it on a day-to-day basis and go from there.”
Player Ratings: Crystal Palace v Manchester City
Jedinak has finished his four-game ban but it remains to be seen whether the Palace captain will go straight back into the side, with Ledley and James McArthur forming a good partnership in his absence.
The midfielder has played just 90 minutes of football under Pardew and Ledley said: “We welcome him back because he has been fantastic this season and he is our skipper.
“The competition in midfield has been great ever since I joined, with Mile, Macca and now Jason Puncheon moving into the middle.”
