Hodgson sweats on fitness of Duff and Zamora

PREVIEW: Arsenal v Fulham, tomorrow 4pm (Emirates Stadium)

Neither Republic of Ireland winger Duff nor Zamora will play in Fulham’s final Premier League game of the season against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

But Fulham’s two most influential players could yet give Hodgson a boost by recovering in time for the Europa League final against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg on Wednesday night.

Duff is spending hours in an oxygen chamber to try to speed the healing process on the leg he injured against Hamburg in the semi-final while Zamora is making slow progress and might require a repeat of the painkilling injection he had in his troublesome achilles before the semi-final.

Hodgson describes Zamora’s chances as “in the lap of the gods” and insists he will decide after training today whether or not to rest a bunch of his first-team players against the Gunners.

But he is desperate to pencil in the names of Duff and Zamora for Wednesday.

Hodgson, who worked with the young Duff at Blackburn and signed him in the summer from Newcastle, said: “If Damien and Bobby are unable to play in the final it will be a major, major blow because they are players who have played a decisive part in getting us where we are today.

“Duff is outstanding. When the annals of Irish history are written, and there have been some good players over the years, he will be right up there with them. He’d have 100 caps already but for one or two serious injuries.

“He’s been the Damien I got to know as a young boy at Blackburn. Several people tried to dissuade me that he was a totally different player I was signing but I’m pleased to say they were wrong and I’ve been right.

“If anything he’s a better player today because he was always very clever in his play but the 10 years of experience has not done him any harm.

“Damien Duff didn’t come to Fulham for money, that’s for sure. If he’d wanted serious money he would have stayed at Newcastle to see his contract out. He came here to play football.”

Hodgson admitted he was disappointed the Premier League had rejected Fulham’s request to play the Arsenal match today in order to give them an extra day to prepare for the final.

Hodgson said: “When was the last time we won at the Arsenal? Arsenal will be expecting to beat us whatever team we put out. I did not use any foul means to put pressure on the Premier League. We submitted the request backed up by the argument that it would be much better for us if we had an extra day’s preparation.”