While Graham Potter had mixed news for West Ham United on the injury front, Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace will make the trip to the London Stadium emboldened by the return of Adam Wharton.
And while Hammers News have been told that owner David Sullivan still has reservations about signing players from England’s second tier – despite the £40 million acquisition of Mateus Fernandes – Crystal Palace’s success in recent times has been built upon a rock-solid foundation of Championship graduates.
Ebere Eze scored the winner as Palace beat Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final. Michael Olise went from Reading to Bayern Munich, via Selhurst Park.
Adam Wharton looks destined to become the next England international to command a Declan Rice-esque fee, meanwhile. Real Madrid are reportedly now taking note of the former Blackburn Rovers playmaker.
Wharton missed last week’s 0-0 draw with Sunderland due to an adductor injury. He will be back for the trip to West Ham United, however. Potentially back in Oliver Glasner’s starting XI, too.
Graham Potter confirms Aaron Wan-Bissaka will be missing again for the home side, meanwhile. Callum Wilson and Niclas Fullkrug should be available, though, after coming through a whole week’s training unscathed.
Speaking at his own pre-match press conference, on Friday lunchtime, Glasner had some rather mixed news of his own for the Eagles faithful.
Oliver Glasner gives Adam Wharton and Ismaila Sarr update before West Ham United vs Crystal Palace
Wharton’s return is a massive boost. One of the most stylish, cultured midfielders in the Premier League could run riot if Potter persists with James Ward-Prowse and selects Guido Rodriguez in place of the suspended Tomas Soucek ahead of Soungoutou Magassa.
Crystal Palace will have Eddie Nketiah and Daichi Kamada available as well, though midweek EFL Cup hero Walter Benitez and jet-heeled wideman Ismaila Sarr have been ruled out.
“Walter Benitez was injured the day after the Millwall game. He dislocated his little finger and he needs to rest now, so he will miss West Ham and Liverpool. We are hopeful he can come back after the Liverpool game,” Glasner begins, albeit Dean Henderson would surely have started between the sticks anyway.
“The positive news is Adam Wharton and Eddie Nketiah are back in the squad tomorrow. We have no other injuries from the Millwall game, so that’s the positive part.
“I think Adam is fit enough to start. He just missed two weeks, 10 days, and then he started his training on the pitch, and he is with us now for a few days.
“Eddie is a bit different. He missed all the pre-season, but he looked very good in training today and on Wednesday, when we had a really intense session, so let’s see how the game is going. Those players looked very sharp in training.
“Big credit to our medical department. The players worked really hard. It started with Daichi Kamada and also Eddie and Adam. Also, Ismaila will start to train with us on Sunday after the West Ham game.”
El Hadji Malick Diouf denied Senegal battle with Palace star Sarr
It says much about the confidence of El Hadji Malick Diouf that West Ham’s left-back will be disappointed to see Sarr rendered unavailable.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Diouf was relishing the chance to go up against his Senegal teammate.
Sarr provided 20 goals and assists combined for Palace last season, and has begun the new campaign with four in six.
£26 million summer signing Yeremy Pino is expected to take his place, like against Sunderland. Nketiah, meanwhile, will presumably take up his familiar position on the bench behind talismanic centre-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Glasner indicated that Nketiah could yet have a big part to play in this latest London derby, however.
“Sometimes, as a striker, you have to work a lot and you bring fresh legs [off the bench] which makes it difficult for the defenders, because the defenders get fatigue as well,” adds the former Eintracht Frankfurt coach.
“It’s good to have Eddie back, but not just for this reason. We always want to have every player available, that’s why we’re always working hard.”
