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Football London

Sport

Michael Mutch

The 23 fixtures that could involve Crystal Palace players during the international break

Crystal Palace Palace England Joachim Andersen Kofi Balmer Malcolm Ebiowei Marc Guehi Wilfried Zaha EPL Uefa Nations League

Crystal Palace currently have ten first-team and academy players away on international duty.

Wilfried Zaha is the latest to have been called up for international duty after being selected for the Ivory Coast squad. Les Éléphants are in France for two friendly fixtures against fellow African nations Togo (Saturday, September 24) and Guinea (Tuesday, September 27).

Zaha, who has scored four goals in five Premier League games for Palace so far this season, has scored five goals in 28 international caps with Ivory Coast to his name after switching allegiance from England, with whom he made two appearances.

Marc Guehi has once again been called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad with hopes of cementing a place before the World Cup in November. The 22-year-old accumulated 57 caps as an England youth from U16 to U21 level before making his debut for the senior squad in March earlier this year.

England have two UEFA Nations League fixtures ahead of them after a poor start in League A Group 3. The Three Lions picked up just two points from four games in June with draws against Germany (1-1) and Italy (0-0) sandwiched between defeats against Hungary (0-1 and 0-4).

Those results leave England in a situation where they could relegated to League B if they lose in the San Siro against Italy on Friday night (September 23). England will close their UEFA Nations League campaign on Monday, September 26, against Germany at Wembley Stadium.

Denmark have called up Palace defender Joachim Andersen for their two UEFA Nations League fixtures. The Danes currently top League A1 after three wins from their first four games and will qualify for the finals if they beat Croatia in Zagreb on Thursday night (September 22).

Andersen, who has 17 caps for Denmark, is in contention to play in the fixture ahead of a final UEFA Nations League game in Copenhagen against France.

Jordan Ayew will officially become Ghana’s seventh most-capped player if he features in both friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua. The Palace forward is currently level with former Sunderland defender John Mensah on 81 caps and three behind former Portsmouth and Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari on 84.

Ghana begin their international break in Le Havre, France, on Friday night for a friendly against Brazil. The Black Stars will then head to southern Spain to take on CONCACAF side Nicaragua.

Summer signing Cheick Doucoure is also on international duty this week after being called up to the Mali squad. The 22-year-old has five caps under his belt before a double-header of friendlies against fellow CAF rivals Zambia at home.

Malcolm Ebiowei has been called up to the England U20 squad for three fixtures at the Pinatar Arena in Spain against Chile, Morocco and Australia.

A number of academy players have been called up for international duty also, including Kofi Balmer, who earns his first senior call-up for Northern Ireland. Balmer could make his senior international debut in UEFA Nations League fixtures against Kosovo or Greece.

Academy goalkeeper Joel Whitworth has been named in the England U19s squad who begin their UEFA Euro U19 title defence. The Young Lions start their qualifying campaign with fixtures against Montenegro, Georgia and Denmark.

Jake O’Brien and Sean Grehan have been called up to Republic of Ireland’s U21 and U19 squads respectively. The Irish U21s are hoping to cement a place in the Euro U21 Championship in Romania and Georgia next year as they take on Israel in the play-offs, whereas Grehan could feature in three U19 Euro qualifying matches versus Gibraltar, Wales and Hungary.

Here are 23 fixtures that could involve Crystal Palace players during the international break:

Wednesday, September 21 @ 4pm – Ireland U19s vs Gibraltar U19s (Sean Grehan)

Wednesday, September 21 @ 5pm - England U19s vs Montenegro U19s (Joel Whitworth)

Wednesday, September 21 @ 7pm – England U20s vs Chile U20s (Malcolm Ebiowei)

Thursday, September 22 @ 7.45pm – Croatia vs Denmark (Joachim Andersen)

Friday, September 23 @ 7pm – Ireland U21s vs Israel U21s (Jake O’Brien)

Friday, September 23 @ 7.30pm – Brazil vs Ghana (Jordan Ayew)

Friday, September 23 @ 7.45pm – Italy vs England (Marc Guehi)

Friday, September 23 @ 8pm – Mali vs Zambia (Cheick Doucoure)

Saturday, September 24 @ 1pm – England U19s vs Georgia U19s (Joel Whitworth)

Saturday, September 24 @ 5pm – Ivory Coast vs Togo (Wilfried Zaha)

Saturday, September 24 @ 5pm – Northern Ireland vs Kosovo (Kofi Balmer)