Just as things were starting to click this season for Crystal Palace, Oliver Glasner has confirmed bad fitness news for the Eagles.
Wednesday night was a big one for Crystal Palace, securing a second successive win and in doing so filling the players and the crowd with confidence that early-season struggles can be overcome.
Daichi Kamada stole the show in the 2-1 win against Aston Villa, with his goal being huge for his confidence after a disappointing start.
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In this 2-1 win, Matt Turner divided fans with his eight-save performance which also happened to be his debut for the club.
For all the positivity, Wednesday night also had negatives.
Oliver Glasner has bad news on both Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton
The positive thinking around the win was tainted due to Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze both being withdrawn through injury in the first half for Crystal Palace.
On Friday, Glasner spoke to club media about both Eze and Wharton and had negative updates about both.
On Wharton, Glasner revealed that the decision for surgery to be undergone had finally been taken: “We took the final decision he will have surgery so he won’t be available for Wolves.
“He tried [to train] today but there’s too much pain and it makes no sense.”
He then added that it will be four weeks until Wharton returns, and there was similarly deflating news on Eze.
Eze will miss two weeks, as Glasner explained: “He’s injured – hamstring injury.
“We will miss him at least against Wolves and Fulham, then let’s see. He will be out for those two games.
“There is hope to get him back after the international break, but it will be very ambitious to have him back [straight] after, but we have a great medical department. He will work hard. Let’s see.”
Glasner has also shared that Joel Ward will miss out on this weekend – meanwhile, Chris Richards is in line for a return with a return to training expected next week.
How Crystal Palace can solve the absence of Eze and Wharton
With Eze missing until after the international break and then Wharton out for four weeks, the Eagles will need to find solutions.
Daichi Kamada replacing Eze in the starting XI seems a pretty obvious move after the Japanese record breaker scored after doing so on Wednesday.
Replacing Wharton is a lot more complex though, with Jefferson Lerma and Cheick Doucoure both injured in their own right, although Doucoure should be with the squad this weekend.
If Doucoure is fit to start, the Eagles will have an almost full-strength team – in a game which is perfect for the team to lay down a marker and move away from the relegation zone.
