Eze injury rules ‘pained’ playmaker out with swollen foot

Eberechi Eze will not be involved when Crystal Palace attempt to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to six matches at Arsenal on Saturday (5.30pm GMT).

Eagles manager Oliver Glasner will rest Eze after he sustained a foot injury 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 (3pm).

“He got a hit against Brighton,” explained Glasner, adding that Eze “got the next kick” on the injury during Palace’s 3-2 defeat at Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

“It doesn’t look serious, but when you have to wear the boots, kick the ball and it is painful, it is not that free in terms of movement.”

W 🤝#CPFC pic.twitter.com/TyFUGUDIZG

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 20, 2024

Eberechi Eze injuries

Eze missed trips to Wolves and Aston Villa either side of a home game against Fulham because of a hamstring injury in November.

The 26-year-old is yet to complete 90 minutes in five matches since returning, although he set up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the only goal of the game at Ipswich Town on December 3.

“When you always feel pain when you move, you are thinking too much about this [injury] and can’t play how you can play,” said Glasner.

“We need every player 100% so it makes sense: we decided that he gets a rest and hopefully he will be available for Bournemouth.

“We need the best Eberechi Eze he can be and therefore he has to be fit like all the other players. I expect Ebere to be available for Bournemouth.”

The weekend 🔜#CPFC pic.twitter.com/giRfHR0Kfk

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 20, 2024

Palace vs Arsenal

Palace led at Arsenal for 49 minutes through a Mateta opener, only for a 28-minute Gabriel Jesus hat-trick after the break made Eddie Nketiah’s late reply inconsequential.

“Confidence is when you take the lead, not to wait, [but to] also go forward and try to score the second,” said Glasner. “We scored the first and then we got passive.

“Then we are 3-1 down – game over, it looks like – and all of a sudden we play much more forward again and we scored a second.

“Why not always play the same way? The same style, playing forward instead of cautiously. But that’s easy to say. I think everybody knows and has a big respect for Arsenal playing at the Emirates.

“Sometimes you have confidence, but they create so much pressure… you have to survive this pressure.”