Eze, Wharton & Nketiah: Latest Crystal Palace injury news and return dates

The international break couldn’t come at a much better time for Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace – not only do they get to put some distance between themselves and a deflating 2-0 defeat to Fulham, but some of their many injured players get a chance to heal.

Six first-team players are currently battling injuries and could miss out on what promises to be a tricky trip to face Aston Villa in a fortnight’s time – and we’ve got all the latest news on their conditions and likely return dates below.

Eberechi Eze

Palace’s greatest creative force has been absent for the past two matches courtesy of a hamstring injury, and is touch and go to return in time to make the journey to Villa Park. Glasner has said that “there is hope” that Eze will be back to full fitness after the international break, but he may well have to wait another week or two depending on how his recovery goes. He was not selected for Lee Carsley’s final England squad as a result of the injury.

Adam Wharton

Wharton’s early-season struggles proved to be the result of a persistent groin injury, for which he has now undergone surgery. The procedure was reportedly successful and Glasner has told the media that he expected him to be out for four weeks from the beginning of November – he will miss the trip to Aston Villa but has some chance of being available for the home game against Newcastle United at the very end of the month.

Eddie Nketiah

The summer signing has hurt his hamstring, supposedly in one-on-one training with a specialist, with The Daily Mail (paywalled) reporting that the club are investigating the circumstances surrounding the issue. That problem caused him to miss the Fulham match, but the severity of the injury hasn’t been made public and Glasner only said “let’s see” when discussing how long he could be ruled out for.

Chadi Riad

Another summer signing with injury issues, former Real Betis centre-back Riad has only featured in one Premier League match so far, largely thanks to a knee problem sustained in an EFL Cup match against Norwich City. Glasner had previously told the media that he wouldn’t play until after the November international break, but we don’t have a more specific return date at this stage.

Jefferson Lerma

The Colombian midfielder has missed the past two matches with a hamstring issue of his own, with Glasner saying at the start of the month that he was expected to return after the international break. He was not called up to his national side for the games against Uruguay and Ecuador this coming week, and remains a doubt to face Aston Villa.

Matheus França

A setback suffered during recovery from a serious groin injury means that promising winger Matheus França is not now expected to play until the new year. He had initially been pencilled in for an October return having missed the start of the new campaign, but isn’t now expected back until early January.

As well as the players above, Crystal Palace will also have to make do without the services of Daichi Kamada and Will Hughes for the trip to Villa Park, with both midfielders serving a suspension.