Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has delivered a concerning injury update on defender Chris Richards, casting a shadow over the club's packed festive fixture list.
Injury Blow During Cup Defeat
The setback occurred during Tuesday night's dramatic Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. The Eagles were ultimately eliminated 8-7 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in normal time, but the loss of Richards is a significant blow.
Providing details after the match, Glasner revealed the severity of the issue. "He got a knock on his foot, a stamp on his foot, and it had to be stitched. I don't know how many stitches, but a few," the manager stated.
Doubt for Crucial Premier League Run
The timing of the injury is far from ideal for Palace, who face a demanding run of three Premier League games in quick succession. They host Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, before matches against Fulham and Newcastle United.
While hopeful, Glasner admitted uncertainty over Richards' immediate availability. "The doctor told me it doesn't look so bad. I'm always hopeful... I don't know if he will be okay for the Tottenham game, but I'm still hoping that he will be back against Fulham," he said.
This injury compounds a difficult period for the south London club, who have now lost three consecutive matches across all competitions.
Glasner Seeks Positives After Penalty Heartbreak
Despite the disappointment of exit and the fresh injury concern, Glasner chose to focus on the resilience shown by his players. He praised a much-improved second-half performance after a poor opening 45 minutes.
"Of course, when you lose a game, when you lose on penalties, you're always disappointed," Glasner acknowledged. "On the other side, I'm delighted with the second-half performance today."
He highlighted the character shown to equalise deep into stoppage time through Marc Guehi, especially after conceding an unfortunate Maxence Lacroix own goal. "Coming back again... is a huge credit to the players for their mindset – so we'll take many positives from today's performance," Glasner concluded.
The focus now shifts to managing Richards' recovery and preparing for a critical period that will test Palace's squad depth and their ambitions in the league table.
