Crystal Palace give injury update on Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah ahead of Aston Villa clash
Today at 08:37 AM
Oliver Glasner has shared an injury update on Eberechi Eze ahead of Crystal Palace’s Premier League clash at Aston Villa on Saturday.
Palace travel to Villa Park desperate for a win following an awful start to the season that has left them in the relegation zone after 11 games.
The Eagles have won just once in the league but did beat Villa away last month in the Carabao Cup, giving them some hope.
Star player Eze scored the opener in that match but just minutes later was forced to come off after sustaining a hamstring injury and he’s been sidelined ever since.
Glasner previously said they were hopeful the England international would be back after the international break, but in his pre-match press conference he revealed he would not make the Villa trip.
‘Ebs would like to be involved in tomorrow’s game, but I took the decision not to take him with us to Villa,’ the manager said on Friday.
‘It’s a little bit too risky. He trained during the week, but it’s too near when it happened. When we see our schedule, we have to protect the players.
‘When we see our schedule after the Villa game, which was eight games in December, we can’t take any risks, so that’s why Ebs is not involved in tomorrow’s game.
‘We had a long chat today, because he’s very ambitious. He’s a great guy, he worked really hard and he wanted to be with us.
‘He feels he’s ready, and it’s him who wants to play. Of course, I want him to play. But as I mentioned, we have to protect him.
‘Therefore we said: “OK, yes we lose [him] for one game, but we win eight or nine days. And maybe then we win eight games, and we all hope to win at the Emirates in the Carabao [Cup].
‘Then we have 15 games in December and January, and we need him for 15 games not just for one.’
The sooner the attacking midfielder returns the better with Palace set to take on Newcastle, Ipswich, Brighton, Manchester City and Arsenal (twice) in the next month.
It was also confirmed that Eddie Nketiah is still ruled out after the out of form striker picked up a ‘suspicious’ injury before the international break.
But in better news for the Eagles, Glasner has revealed that Chris Richards, Jefferson Lerma and Cheick Doucoure are fit again, while Will Hughes is back after his suspension.
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