Hodgson will not risk injuries

Roy Hodgson: Has achieved his goals for the season so will not be rushing players back

West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed he will be taking no risks over his injured players with the club safely in mid-table.

Zoltan Gera and James Morrison still have a chance of recovering from their respective knee problems in time to play a role this season.

But Hodgson has moved to dampen speculation the pair could feature in the Baggies' remaining four games.

"I'm not very optimistic," Hodgson told the club's official website.

"I would have to be 100 per cent sure I wasn't endangering their pre-season or next season by putting them back in - we don't need to.

"We've achieved our goal with more than four games to go which is fantastic.

"It would take a lot for me to throw them back in.

"They would need to be 100 per cent raring to go and be training with me for at least a week or two before I throw them back in.

"We want them fit for next season."

Prognosis

Albion travel to Liverpool on Sunday and there remains some hope another injured duo could return in time for the trip to Anfield.

A groin problem kept defender Jonas Olsson out of Saturday's win against QPR, while striker Marc-Antoine Fortune limped off just before the hour mark of that game with a hamstring problem.

"The prognosis for Jonas is quite good," added Hodgson.

"I don't think he needs a scan, it was more of a precautionary issue - the result of two games coming in quick succession and the amount of running he did.

"We think that all being well, come Friday, he will be okay.

"With Marc-Antoine Fortune it will be much closer as to whether he will be fit.

"That's not to say it will keep him out for the season but whether he'll be fit for Sunday is a bit doubtful."