Teenage wing-back has impressed Oliver Glasner in Crystal Palace training, could now get a chance

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Crystal Palace suffered a major blow on Saturday after Daniel Munoz was forced off with an injury.

The Colombia international – who Dougie Freedman signed from KRC Genk for £8.5m back in January – has become a key man on the right flank, but could only manage 17 minutes against Liverpool before Nathaniel Clyne had to replace him, due to an apparent groin injury.

Oliver Glasner proceeded to watch his side suffer a 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park, a result which leaves us 18th in the Premier League.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
17	IpswichIpswich	7	0	4	3	6	14	-8	4
18	Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace	7	0	3	4	5	10	-5	3
19	SouthamptonSouthampton	7	0	1	6	4	15	-11	1

Clyne shone when playing as a central defender last season, but he lacks the dynamism Munoz offers in that right wing-back role.

Fortunately, Crystal Palace have a talented young wing-back, one that conveniently operates on the right, who has impressed Glasner in training at Copers Cope.

Caleb Kporha shines in Crystal Palace training

Edmund Brack of the South London Press has revealed that Caleb Kporha is taking his chance at Crystal Palace.

The 18-year-old has been training with the senior side at Copers Cope recently, where he is believed to have made a strong impression on Glasner and the Austrian’s coaching staff.

Kporha was rewarded with a place on the bench in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Liverpool.

The teenager might have felt a Premier League debut was imminent when Munoz suffered an injury, but Glasner opted to go with the more experienced Clyne, a decision the 50-year-old later seemed to regret as Ismaila Sarr was then moved into right wing-back later on in the game.

Oliver Glasner should give the 18-year-old a chance

If Munoz fails to recover in time for our next outing – a trip to Nottingham Forest on Monday 21st October – we feel Kporha deserves a shot.

Clyne lacks the pace to be used at wing-back nowadays, and what point is there in giving valuable minutes to a 33-year-old, when a promising 18-year-old who plays in the same position is sat there twiddling his thumbs on the bench?

Furthermore, Kporha was included in the pre-season tour by Glasner, so the coaching staff at Crystal Palace have had plenty of time to assess the England U17 international by now, and it bodes well that he is still impressing.

Hopefully, the talented wing-back gets a chance to shine in Glasner’s system at some point this season.