Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure and Eberechi Eze _(Image: PA)_
Oliver Glasner will not hand Cheick Doucoure a start against Arsenal for the sake of needing minutes.
Doucoure has racked up less than 315 minutes in a Crystal Palace shirt since December last year after rupturing his Achilles against Luton Town.
Since returning to the matchday squad, Doucoure has shown a lack of match sharpness, with Glasner stating that it will take time for the Malian to regain his best form following this month's win over Ipswich.
Ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal, Glasner made it clear that the midfielder must show why he deserves to start ahead of Will Hughes or Jefferson Lerma.
"You can’t give anyone gifts even though Christmas is coming. Everyone has to deserve their place and be better than the other one.
"It’s a competition within the group which also brings each other to their personal edge, pushing each other to their best performances.
"There’s also the decision of fitness. Lerma was coming back from injury in the last three-game week. Doucoure started at Ipswich but was close to a red card, so we had to take him off at half time.
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"Lerma was doing really well in the last games. Also, we need his physicality, maybe in defending set-plays.
"We have to think about many things. Not just players needing minutes. It is always the whole package."
Eagles boss Glasner maintains that Doucoure retains his complete faith and was pleased with the glimmer he showed from the bench on Sunday.
"I know if Cheick starts, he will do everything to help the team. He knows what he has to do in his position to help the team.
"When he plays just for several minutes, like he did against Brighton in the last game, he did very well.
"Unusually for Cheicky, he had a big chance to score. He’s getting more and more involved in the way he is playing. I have a lot of trust in all my players."