Crystal Palace have been dealt a significant defensive blow ahead of their crucial Premier League London derby, with key centre-back Chris Richards now a major doubt to face Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
Emirates Incident Leaves Defender Stretchered Off
The worrying situation unfolded during Palace's Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at Arsenal on Tuesday. Chris Richards, a United States international who has been an ever-present in Oliver Glasner's back three this season, collapsed to the turf in the second half requiring urgent medical attention.
Physios rushed to treat the defender, whose foot was bleeding heavily. In an attempt to stem the flow of blood, they were forced to remove his boot on the pitch. After extensive treatment, the 24-year-old was eventually stretchered off and replaced by Will Hughes. Palace's night ended in further agony as they lost the tie on penalties following Maxence Lacroix's sudden-death miss.
Glasner's Post-Match Update on Richards and Nketiah
Speaking after the match, manager Oliver Glasner provided a detailed but cautious update on his defender's condition. "He got a knock on his foot, like stamped on his foot, and had to be stitched," the Austrian revealed. "I don't know how many stitches but a few. The doctor told me it doesn't look so bad."
While expressing hope, Glasner was pragmatic about Richards' chances of featuring against Spurs at Selhurst Park on Sunday. "I don't know if he will be okay for the Tottenham game," he admitted, before suggesting a return against Fulham might be more likely. He emphasised the squad's thin numbers, stating, "We have 16 outfield players and we can't afford to miss someone else."
There was slightly better news regarding striker Eddie Nketiah, who was forced off at half-time. Glasner is confident the forward will recover, saying, "Edie got a slight knock. Doesn't look so serious and I'm sure that he will be back for the Tottenham game."
Mounting Injury Crisis Ahead of Hectic Festive Schedule
The potential absence of Richards compounds an existing injury crisis for the Eagles. The club confirmed that Chadi Riad, Daniel Munoz, Daichi Kamada, and Cheick Doucoure all remain sidelined with longer-term issues.
This leaves Glasner with severely limited options as his team navigates a packed festive fixture list. The visit of Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham represents a stern test, and losing a defensive mainstay like Richards would be a significant setback for Palace's hopes of securing a positive result.
All eyes will now be on the treatment room at the club's training ground in the coming days, with the medical staff working against the clock to assess Richards' availability for the high-stakes London derby on Sunday, December 28th.
