Crystal Palace Manager Oliver Glasner Discusses Player Fitness and Upcoming Aston Villa Match

Oliver Glasner, manager of Crystal Palace, addressed reporters ahead of the Premier League match against Aston Villa on Saturday, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off. The following are the main points from his press briefing: Glasner stated that Eberechi Eze would not participate, emphasizing that the club “can’t take any risks” concerning the midfielder. He mentioned that Eze “feels he’s ready and wants to play,” but the team aims to safeguard him. Glasner clarified, “We need him for 15 games [in December and January], not just for one.” Chris Richards, Jefferson Lerma, and Cheick Doucoure have all recovered from injuries and are available for selection. Additionally, Will Hughes is back in the squad following a suspension. Glasner also noted that Adam Wharton is approximately “one or two weeks away” from returning to play. Regarding Doucoure’s return, Glasner commented, “He’s a fantastic football player, we could see from the first day. I think he [was] injured at the beginning of November last year and he trained for six to eight weeks in 12 months. Getting back into his best shape is what we will support him [with], but it’s good to have him back.” Addressing the team’s activities during the international break, Glasner stated, “We decided, because of our schedule, that the whole first week was off. Also, for the staff, it’s important. We decided several weeks ago to take one week off. I’m used to having it around Christmas, but here in England it’s different, so I think it was important for everybody to recover.” Glasner expressed his belief that his team possesses a strong opportunity “to take at least a point” on Saturday, though he added that “the mindset is to get the win.” Further updates from Friday’s Premier League news conferences and other football news throughout the day are available.