Eddie Nketiah and Chris Richards doubtful for Crystal Palace's trip to Doncaster
Oliver Glasner is likely to be without Eddie Nketiah and Chris Richards for Crystal Palace’s fourth round FA Cup clash against Doncaster.
Nketiah, who joined Palace from Arsenal in the summer for a fee potentially rising to £30m, twisted his ankle on Thursday while Richards has been absent from training this week due to sickness.
Glasner admitted that Richards could return to Palace’s Copers Cope base on Saturday but is unsure whether he can take part in training before Monday’s trip to Yorkshire.
"Chris Richards is sick," Glasner revealed, "so he hasn’t trained until now. I hope that he will be back with us tomorrow, but I don't know if he can train yet. So there is a question there.
"Unfortunately, Eddie Nketiah got injured in the training yesterday, twisting his ankle – so there is a big question mark over whether he will be available.”
After Sunday’s victory at Old Trafford, Glasner revealed talisman Eberechi Eze would be given a week's rest and left out of the squad to face the Rovers.
Matheus Franca was initially expected to travel with the Under-21s to Stoke on Monday. However, Glasner is considering changing course and taking the Brazilian to Keepmoat.
“Ebs [Eze] won’t be available. He won't train this week because the pain in his foot has to settle down.
"For [Matheus] França, the original plan was to give him minutes with the under-21s. But now, with Ebs and Eddie not available, it could be that he's in the squad for Monday night; this will be decided on Sunday.”
New signing Ben Chilwell is set for his Palace debut after joining the Eagles on loan from Chelsea.
"It can be a big chance for him. He has to compete with Tyrick Mitchell because he has had an excellent season for us, very consistent on a very high level.
"But he [Chilwell] is doing really well in training. He is fit. Unfortunately, he couldn't take part in Chelsea's team training in January, team training is a little bit different, so we have to give him so days and maybe weeks.
"The plan is he will get minutes at Doncaster.”
Adam Wharton continues to respond well to full training and is due to be in the matchday squad once again, following his return from injury in last week's 2-0 victory against Manchester United.
“He looks very sharp and good in training, so he did excellent at the end of the Man Utd game, and he looks like being very stable now, so he's available.”
Predicted XI: Turner; Clyne, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Esse, Mateta, Sarr.
