Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta embrace for Crystal Palace.placeholder image
Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta embrace for Crystal Palace. | Getty Images
Crystal Palace have picked up a key injury with an encounter against Manchester United on the horizon
Manchester United will have the chance to rest and recover over the international break as Ruben Amorim’s men reflect on a successful few weeks which have seen the Red Devils return to European contention once again.
This season’s Premier League is extremely tight at present, with just four points separating third and 12th in the league. Therefore, it is important to hit the ground running as the winter period begins, often a time of year which can go a long way to defining a campaign.
United face Everton next in an important set of fixtures, with a trip to Crystal Palace following on November 30. The Eagles have recently been struck with the news that a key player has been injured in recent days.
Marc Guehi injured ahead of Man United clash
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi missed the Eagles’ 0-0 draw with arch-rivals Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, with reports revealing that his absence was due to a foot injury sustained late on in a 3-1 UEFA Conference League victory over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night. Though he remained on the field to see out the victory, it came at a personal cost as the 25-year-old was ruled out over the weekend.
Manager Oliver Glasner revealed that Guehi is on crutches and unable to walk, so is set to miss out on England action over the international break.
“A knock on his foot,” the Palace boss told Sky Sports. “The bone bruised, he can't even walk at the moment. In the last few days he was on crutches. That's why he couldn't play as I expect.
“I don't know how this develops over the next couple of days. But at the moment it looks like he can't play for England either.”
This will come as encouraging news for United, who will be given a significant boost if the Eagles skipper is unable to take part when United make the trip to Selhurst Park at the end of the month. Palace have fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Strasbourg in the Conference League before then. Guehi is crucial to Glasner’s defensive unit at the back and so the Red Devils will hope he sees out the month on the sidelines, with a tough clash between the two sides on the horizon.
‘We have a lot of problems’ - Amorim’s reality check after Spurs draw
Amorim did not hold back at full-time following United’s draw with Spurs, as he claimed there is still lots his side need to improve on despite their strong recent form, which saw the Portuguese named Premier League Manager of the Month for October.
"We have a lot of problems," said Amorim. "We are just in the beginning. I know that sometimes the results show to people that we are improving, but we have a lot to do.
"You can divide the game in the final 10 minutes, also when we have to take out Harry Maguire and Casemiro at the same time, then suffer two goals, then losing [Sesko], even before the second goal with a big opportunity.
"To play with 10 men, but then to overcome everything and to manage to score, is a good thing, but if you look at the rest of the game, we were comfortable. I think we should do better, be more aggressive, feeling the environment in the stadium.
"The three points were there, the space was there, and I think we felt too comfortable during the game, and we need to expect that in one play anything can happen and change the mood of the stadium, and today was that. We controlled the game well, but we need to do better, because the game was there for the taking."
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