Christian Benteke: Crystal Palace players must use winter break to switch off

Looking back: Palace are just six points clear of the relegation zone
REUTERS
Jack Rosser @JackRosser_10 February 2020

Christian Benteke says Crystal Palace must use their winter break to switch off from a poor run of form which will have mentally drained the squad before kicking on come their return.

The Eagles are without a win since Boxing Day following Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Everton and have not kept a clean sheet since December 7.

Their run has left them just six points clear of the relegation zone having played a match more than three of the bottom four.

While Benteke notched his first goal of the season at Goodison Park, and says sometimes it is better to bounce back from a defeat with another game as soon as possible, it is about time Palace had some time off after a gruelling festive schedule saw Palace's already thin squad stretched to its limit with a lengthy injury list.

"I think it [the winter break] is 50-50," Benteke told Palace TV. "Sometimes when we are in a bad mood we need a break mentally and physically but also when you lose you just want to go again, as quick as possible.

"Now we are going to go away, try and switch off and go again after that."

In Pictures | Everton vs Crystal Palace | 08/02/20

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Hodgson will be hoping to have a full complement of strikers back after the winter break. Jordan Ayew - their top scorer with six - has been used out wide in the last two games while Cenk Tosun has struggled with a hamstring injury.

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