Oliver Glasner has revealed that Crystal Palace duo Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton will be sidelined with injury until after the international break.
Both players hobbled off the pitch in the first-half of Wednesday’s Carabao Cupwin at Aston Villa in a devastating double blow for the struggling Eagles.
Eze came off just minutes after opening the scoring at Villa Park clutching his hamstring, while Wharton was withdrawn thanks to a reoccurrence of the groin issue that has plagued him all season.
Glasner has now confirmed the extent of the England internationals’ injury issues and while Eze may not be out for too long, the Palace boss says he will not rush his rehabilitation.
‘He [Eze] is injured. He has a hamstring injury and we will miss him for at least against Wolves and against Fulham,’ the Austrian said in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Molineux on Saturday evening.
‘Then we have the international break, and then let’s see, but he will be out for those two games.
‘There is hope [he will return after that], but it will be very ambitious to have him back after the international break. I know we have a great medical department and he will work hard, so let’s see.’
As for Wharton, Glasner had previously said that the defensive midfielder would have to eventually undergo surgery for the groin injury and that decision has now been taken.
‘He won’t be available for Wolves. He tried [to train] today but there’s too much pain and it makes no sense,’ he added.
‘He’s really struggled the last weeks and months and so now we took the final decision he will have surgery, and we hope to have him back after, let’s say, four weeks.’
If he is indeed sidelined for a month, Wharton will miss clashes against Wolves, Fulham, Aston Villa and Newcastle.
If all goes well he could make his return against Ipswich on December 3, which would prove timely, with huge games against Manchester City, Brighton and a double header with Arsenal to follow.
Palace’s depth, especially in midfield, is under huge strain with Jefferson Lerma also ruled out until after the international break, but in some good news Cheick Doucoure is back ‘earlier than expected’ and will be in the squad for the Wolves match.
It’s a huge game at the bottom of the table, with Palace 17th on six points, while Wolves are 19th and yet to win in the league this season.