Connor Wickham exclusive: Former Sunderland, Crystal Palace striker discusses the reality of 18 months without a club

Three months into his second season at Crystal Palace - following a £9m move from Sunderland in the summer of 2015 - the trajectory of Connor Wickham's career changed.

In a 5-4 Premier League defeat away at Swansea, the striker ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament - and between 26 November 2016 and Christmas Day 2018 made just one 90th-minute substitute appearance, owing to further setbacks.

He did not start a top-flight game for the Eagles again.