The Palace manager was asked to provide news on the team in his weekly press conference on Thursday and stated that: "We don't have any problems other than the ones we've been wrestling with, with Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins. Apart from that, we're okay."
Asked for further details on the fitness of his sidelined centre-back partnership, Hodgson was rather reticent, pointing out that the pair are, as ever, working tirelessly, but that he cannot place a timescale on their recovery.
He said: "Mamadou Sakho trained with us for a while then felt his knee again. He still trains with the physio, aside from the first-team group. Unfortunately he and James Tomkins have spent pre-season in the medical room, training along with the sport science people.
"They're working at it. It's difficult to put a timescale on. Both are getting closer and are working hard every day. The doctors would be upset with me if I talk timescales," Hodgson joked, "they'll be rapping my knuckles."