Crystal Palace are without Joel Ward when they host Brighton tonight, after the right-back picked up a hamstring injury that will keep him out for an extended period.
Ward was substituted in the 34th minute as Palace drew 2-2 away to Manchester City, and he now joins a long list of players who are currently out of action.
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CRYSTAL PALACE VS BRIGHTON LIVE!
Manager Roy Hodgson already has to contend with injuries to Cheick Doucoure, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Rob Holding, Sam Johnstone and Odsonne Edouard.
Palace have not won in the Premier League since beating Burnley on November 4 and will hope to put that right against rivals Brighton at Selhurst Park tonight.
Speaking on Wednesday, Hodgson said: “Joel Ward picked up an injury unfortunately last week. He has had a scan, so we’ll be missing him for a while. That is a new injury concern.
"Otherwise, the ones who have been injured are making good progress, most of them. [Jefferson] Lerma, certainly, has made much quicker progress than we expected.
“Eberechi Eze is coming on very well, too. He’s on the cusp really. That’s the decision we have to make: whether to start him or to try and protect him a little bit on the bench."
The decision is to keep him on the bench, with Eze among the substitutes in south London. Michael Olise does start though, while Nathaniel Clyne starts at right-back with Ward out.
Henderson retains his place in goal against Brighton, with Johnstone still nursing the calf injury he sustained against Liverpool on December 9.
Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Richards, Hughes, Olise, Mateta, Ayew
Subs: Tomkins, Eze, Matheus Franca, Schlupp, Ebiowei, Ahamada, Matthews, Riedewald, Ozoh
Date and time: 8pm GMT, Thursday December 21, 2023
Venue: Selhurst Park
TV channel: Sky Sports
