Eberechi Eze will not feature when Crystal Palace attempt to extend their Premier League unbeaten run to six games at Arsenal on Saturday (5.30pm GMT).
Eagles manager Oliver Glasner will rest Eze after injuring his leg in Palace’s 3-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, although the Austrian hopes the England international will return for the trip to Bournemouth on December 26 (15:00).
“He got a knock against Brighton,” Glasner explained, adding that Eze “took the next kick” to the injury in Palace’s 3-2 defeat by Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.
“It doesn’t look serious, but when you have to put the boots on, kick the ball and it’s painful, it’s not as free of movement.”
W 🤝#CPFC pic.twitter.com/TyFUGUDIZG
— Crystal Palace FC (@CPFC) December 20, 2024
Erechi Eze Injuries
Eze missed trips to Wolves and Aston Villa either side of a home game against Fulham due to a hamstring injury in November.
The 26-year-old is yet to complete 90 minutes in five games since his return, although he set up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the only goal of the game at Ipswich Town on 3 December.
“When you’re always in pain when you move, you think too much about it (the injury) and you can’t play the way you can play,” Glasner said.
“We need every player 100%, so it makes sense: we decided to rest him and hopefully he will be available for Bournemouth.
“We need the best Eberechi Eze that he can be and therefore he must be fit like all the other players. I expect Embere to be available for Bournemouth.”
The weekend 🔜#CPFC pic.twitter.com/giRfHR0Kfk
— Crystal Palace FC (@CPFC) December 20, 2024
Palace vs Arsenal
Palace took the lead at Arsenal on 49 minutes with an early goal from Mateta, only for a 28-minute Gabriel Jesus hat-trick after the break to make Eddie Nketiah’s late reply meaningless.
“Confidence is when you get the lead, not waiting, (but) going forward and trying to score the second one,” Glasner said. “We scored the first and then we suffered.
“Then we’re 3-1 down – the game’s over, it seems – and suddenly we’re way ahead again and we score a second.
“Why not always play the same way? Same style, playing forward instead of guarded. But that’s easy to say. I think everyone knows and has a lot of respect for Arsenal playing at the Emirates.
“Sometimes you’re confident, but they create so much pressure … you have to survive that pressure.”
