Fulham striker worries

FULHAM boss Roy Hodgson fears striker Clint Dempsey could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines after limping off in the second half of yesterday’s 2-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Blackburn.

The news will come as a major blow to the Cottagers’ hopes of salvaging something from their season after Bobby Zamora was ruled out for up to two months with a shoulder problem.

Hodgson said: ‘‘Clint will be scanned tomorrow but we feel it might be a posterior cruciate knee ligament, which would be very bad for us.

‘‘It’s a concern up front because Clint Dempsey is very useful for us but now with both he and Bobby out it makes us a bit weaker in that area than we’d like to be.’’ Hodgson admitted his growing injury list, also including Paul Konchesky who was pulled off with an ankle problem at half-time, will not lead to a transfer window spree.

Hodgson added: ‘‘It’s a very difficult market at the moment.

There’s not many players who are moving about and we will be very limited in what we can spend.

‘‘I’m a little bit reluctant to go and spend money on a player who maybe in the long term might not make us better. We will get players back and maybe we just have to accept that.’’ Blackburn took the lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances after 25 minutes when the ball deflected in off Christopher Samba, then added a second through captain Ryan Nelsen nine minutes into the second period.

Hodgson had complaints over Rovers’ second goal, which he believed was offside, and also thought Fulham could have had a penalty, but accepted Blackburn were worthy winners.

He added: ‘‘At one point we looked good value for an equaliser but they got their second goal. Overall I can’t begrudge Blackburn their victory – they got stronger as the game went on.’’ Delighted Rovers boss Sam Allardyce admitted everyone around the club had felt the build-up of pressure as they went into the game without a win in nine league games.

Allardyce said: ‘‘The pressure is felt by all of us. They were a really pleasing three points because the pitch was not in the best condition, the opposition were very good and were are in the middle of three games in six days.

‘‘The importance of going a goal in front was clear for all to see.”

Allardyce had particular words of praise for Benni Mc- Carthy, whose set-pieces set up both goals, but admitted he remains wary of over-playing the South African.