Sam Allardyce fears the worst as Crystal Palace sweat over Mamadou Sakho knee injury

The French defender was forced off in the second of Wednesday night's 1-0 defeat to Tottenham

Sakho had to be stretchered off (Getty)

Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce fears Mamadou Sakho has sustained serious knee ligament damage which could bring his season to an end.

The French international, who has impressed since joining the Eagles on loan from Liverpool in January, was forced off through injury in the second half of Wednesday night’s 1-0 loss to Tottenham at Selhurst Park.

Sakho’s studs appeared to get caught in the turf as he attempted to dispossess Harry Kane, twisting the defender’s knee in the process. He left the field on a stretcher while wearing a knee brace.

“It’s a ligament injury, which ligament we don't know,” said Allardyce, who is already without centre-backs Scott Dann and James Tomkins through injury.

“We hope it's not the cruciate. It could be medial or lateral, but certainly a hyperextension of the knee. We will see after a scan.

“We won't know if any of our three injured centre-halves will get fit again.”

Sakho has played a major role in Crystal Palace’s recent resurgence, helping to tighten up the side’s backline.

Palace paid a £2m loan fee to bring the Frenchman to Selhurst Park and agreed to cover his £100,000-a-week wages.

It’s unclear if the club will move to sign Sakho on a permanent basis given Liverpool’s expected asking price which is understood to be above and beyond £20m.