Kevin Doyle is confident he will get game time at Crystal Palace when he returns to the squad after the international break.

The striker has made just three substitute appearances since joining the Eagles on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, his latest being an injury time cameo in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Manchester United.

But as he prepares to link-up with the Republic of Ireland squad for Friday’s vital Euro 2016 clash away to Scotland, Doyle believes there will be ample opportunities for him at Selhurst Park when he comes back from representing his country.

“There are plenty of games coming up and it’s just about me being ready when I get a chance,” he said.

“But I’m set to play for Ireland against Scotland.

“It should be a great game at Celtic Park.”

Doyle was a spectator for much of Saturday’s match at Old Trafford where the Eagles were cruelly condemned to a fourth defeat in five matches by Juan Mata’s deflected second half goal, a result the former Reading frontman felt the result was harsh on Palace.

“We were unlucky and we stuck to the game-plan,” said Doyle.

“There were one or two chances from us but we didn’t take them.

“They didn’t have many clear-cut chances and it’s taken a long range effort with a deflection.

“On the clear-cut chances, we had the better.

“They had a lot of possession but even after they scored, they didn’t create anything clear and we feel we let a chance to get something slip away.”

As he looked on from the Old Trafford bench, Doyle watched one of the men keeping him out of the starting XI at present, Fraizer Campbell, squander Palace’s best chance of the encounter.

After United’s makeshift defensive duo of Daley Blind and Paddy McNair failed to clear a long ball, Campbell bore down on goal but lobbed his shot over the bar.

It was a miss Palace were later left to rue but Doyle refused to be critical of his fellow striker.

“Fraizer was unlucky,” said the 31-year-old.

“He tried to lob the goalkeeper. He tried to do everything the right way, as lobbing the goalkeeper was on for him, but it just didn’t come off.”

In spite of Campbell’s miss, Doyle from his vantage point on the sidelines admitted he had harboured hopes of the Eagles pulling off their first league win at Old Trafford for 25 years when the match was goalless on the hour mark.

“I actually thought we were going to win it at that point and coming into that stage,” the striker added.

“But United have top players and they bring on Juan Mata and it ends up in the back of the net. There was a deflection for the goal and that made it hard for Julian (Speroni).”

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