Wharton, Sarr & Nketiah: Latest Crystal Palace injury news and expected return dates ahead of West Ham clashplaceholder image
Wharton, Sarr & Nketiah: Latest Crystal Palace injury news and expected return dates ahead of West Ham clash | Getty Images
The latest Crystal Palace injury news, including updates on Adam Wharton and Ismaïla Sarr.
Having scraped past Millwall on penalties in the EFL Cup on Tuesday evening, Crystal Palace return to Premier League action on Saturday when they make the short trip to the London Stadium to take on West Ham United – but face an anxious wait on the fitness of several key players.
Adam Wharton, Ismaïla Sarr and Eddie Nketiah are all battling their way back from injuries and are significant doubts for the weekend, while at least three other first-team players are also expected to miss out for the match against Graham Potter’s struggling side.
We’ve got the latest news on all of Crystal Palace’s injured players below along with their expected return dates when available:
Are Adam Wharton and Ismaïla Sarr available for Crystal Palace this weekend?
Midfielder Wharton suffered an adductor injury during Palace’s 3-0 win over Aston Villa, an issue which cost him his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad and the team for last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Sunderland. Similarly, winger Sarr picked up a hamstring injury which ruled him out against the Black Cats, while striker Eddie Nketiah is working his way back from a hamstring problem of his own which has prevented him from playing so far this season.
Head coach Oliver Glasner provided an update on the fitness of all three ahead of the game against Sunderland, saying that “it looks like [Wharton, Sarr & Nketiah] are available at least versus Liverpool, so in two weeks. Maybe Adam and Eddie have a chance for West Ham.”
That leaves two players facing a battle to be fit for the game against their cross-capital rivals, while Sarr while have to wait at least one more week to get back to action, with the match against Liverpool at Selhurst Park scheduled for 27 September.
Updates on long-term absentees as Chadi Riad inches towards return
Alongside the three players who are expected back by the end of September, three more players have been sidelined by long-term issues, including defender Chadi Riad who has been out since January following an ACL injury.
Glasner told the media in early August that Riad was expected back in October or November and another recent update suggests that the Moroccan is on track, as he is now back training on grass. The 22-year-old will not be rushed back into the matchday squad, however, and will not be involved against West Ham or Liverpool.
Like Riad, midfielder Cheick Doucouré has been out since the start of the year due to a serious knee injury of his own, and Glasner has said that the timeline for his return should be “more or less the same” – however, the Malian has not yet returned to training and his progress towards full fitness appears to have been slower so far.
Elsewhere, England Under-19 international full-back Caleb Kporha is believed to be close to a return. The teenager has been struggling with a back injury sustained before pre-season, but could be available for the match against Liverpool if required. The West Ham game will almost certainly come too soon.
Crystal Palace are otherwise expected to have a full slate of players to choose from against West Ham having come through the win over Millwall without any apparent new injuries or issues.
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