Crystal Palace to be boosted by defender’s return against Spurs as Glasner provides Mateta update | OneFootball

Crystal Palace will be boosted by the return of Jefferson Lerma to the squad when they take on London rivals Tottenham on Thursday.

The defender has missed the last four games for Palace in all competitions and his return is timely for boss Oliver Glasner, who will be without Maxence Lacroix through suspension after he was sent off against Manchester United.

But Lerma will not be ready to start the game, Glasner says.

“Jefferson Lerma is back in the squad but not ready to start,” he said.

“He trained with us and is ok. It’s quite early, but if we need him for 15-20 minutes at the end we have him.

“That means it is either Chadi [Riad] or Nathaniel Clyne will play [in defence]. They are the options we have and one of them will start.”

Jean-Philippe Mateta will not be involved again, however, but Glasner says he hopes to have him back next week.

“We’re planning for him to be partly integrated next Monday in the team training for the Larnaca game,” he said. “It will be the same, starting from the bench.

“He was out for a long time, but his knee looks better now. That’s why we have decided to reintegrate him. We have to be careful, but the goal is that he is available for the Larnaca and Leeds games.”

Glasner also added that Eddie Nketiah is not expected to be back until April.