Crystal Palace: Oliver Glasner issues worrying Chris Richards injury update ahead of Conference League final | OneFootball

Eagles could be without key man for historic fixture

Chris Richards is in a race against time to be fit for the Conference League final after he was ruled out of Crystal Palace’s final Premier League game of the season at home to Arsenal.

Richards had to be helped off the pitch after injuring his left ankle following a collision with Igor Thiago during last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Brentford.

The USA international was absent from training on Thursday morning, and Oliver Glasner confirmed that Richards is now a doubt to face Rayo Vallecano after tearing two ligaments in his ankle.

“Chris Richards will miss the Arsenal game & it's now 50/50 for us whether he can play in the final in Leipzig. He tore two ligaments in his ankle. It's stable but quite swollen,” Glasner said in his pre-Arsenal press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Richards has been a mainstay in defence for Palace, with only Dean Henderson, Maxence Lacroix and Tyrick Mitchell playing more minutes than the 26-year-old this season.

Injury worry: Chris Richards

Getty

Palace take on recently crowned Premier League champions Arsenal at Selhurst Park on Sunday, but the focus for Glasner’s side is on the Conference League final.

They travel to Leipzig next week, hoping to give Glasner, who is leaving the club at the end of the season, the perfect send-off.

First, though, they must welcome back former player Eberechi Eze as he and his Arsenal team-mates lift the club’s first Premier League title in 22 years.

Eze was the hero for Palace as they lifted the FA Cup last season before making the move to boyhood club Arsenal that summer.

Glasner believes that Eze made the right decision to join Arsenal and congratulated the 27-year-old and Mikel Arteta for winning the Premier League title.

"I want to congratulate Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, his players & staff for winning the title after 22 years. It's a fantastic job he's done,” Glasner added.

"A special congratulations to Eberechi Eze, he made the right decision to go to Arsenal & not another club."