Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says Eberechi Eze will miss Saturday’s game with Aston Villa through injury.
Eze has been absent since sustaining a hamstring problem in the first half of Palace’s 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Villa on October 30, and was eager to return for the Premier League clash but Glasner has ruled him out of contention.
There is better news for Palace with Will Hughes returning from suspension after missing the 2-0 defeat by Fulham before the international break after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.
Palace’s players were given the first week of the break off, while those returning from injury trained for the entire fortnight. Cheick Doucoure came through an hour of a behind closed doors friendly during the international break unscathed and trained with the Under-21 side. Jefferson Lerma is available again after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury.
Eddie Nketiah is still out, while there is hope Adam Wharton could return after Palace’s match with Newcastle United next week.
“Ebs would like to be involved in tomorrow’s game, but I took the decision not to take him with us to Villa,’ Glasner said.
“It’s a little bit too risky. He trained during the week, but it’s too near when (the injury) happened.
GO DEEPER
Injuries for Eze and Wharton should not obscure growing signs of a Palace resurgence
“We have to protect the players. When we see our schedule after the Villa game, with eight games in December, we can’t take any risks. 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. I want him to play but we have to protect him. Yes we lose him for one game, but we win eight or nine days. Maybe then we win eight games, and we all hope to win at the Emirates in the Carabao Cup.
“We have 15 games in December and January, and we need him for 15 games, not just one.”
Glasner confirmed he has held discussions with chairman Steve Parish and sporting director Dougie Freedman about the January transfer window, and says he would like to increase the number of players at his disposal.
The manager took the decision to limit his squad to 20 senior outfield players, which has been further depleted by injuries, but is now looking to add reinforcements.
“We talked before (the break), about the plan for January. We found an agreement and talked about it. But the most important thing is to realise it.”
“We go with 17 outfield players and three under-21s, it would not be a good idea to sell and not bring anyone in.”
GO DEEPER
Stormzy, Wilfried Zaha and the Crystal Palace connection: Inside the rise of AFC Croydon Athletic
(Warren Little/Getty Images)
