Evening Standard
·14 Januari 2025
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·14 Januari 2025
Eagles were hit by sickness bug before FA Cup win over Stockport
Oliver Glasner has revealed all Crystal Palace players impacted by last week’s flu outbreak have recovered.
Dean Henderson, Tyrick Mitchell, Maxence Lacroix, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Caleb Kporha all missed training last week but have since returned in a boost for the Eagles ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Leicester City.
A number of Under-21 players had been training with the squad to make up the numbers last week in the lead-up to Sunday’s 1-0 win over Stockport in the FA Cup.
Glasner, speaking on Tuesday, revealed: “Flu has gone, fortunately. All players who were ill are available. JP Mateta is fine and back in training. Maxence Lacroix, [Tyrick] Mitchell.
“Will Hughes [who has missed two games with foot swelling] is available. He trained the last two days with us without any problems.
“Will will be in the squad tomorrow, Adam [Wharton] will not — but he’s progressing. If everything goes in the right direction, I expect him back training with the team maybe end of January or beginning of February.”
Wharton has been out after still feeling pain in his groin and hip following groin surgery.
Matheus Franca, 20, is out with a persistent groin injury but, despite reports, has not suffered a setback in his recovery and is still expected back in the spring.
Matheus Franca has struggled with injury at Crystal Palace
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“He is training,” Glasner said. “It is not a setback or new injury. He had a bit of a reaction in his hip area.
“With the surgery and all the problems in the last months, we are very cautious. Let’s say [he will be back] maybe in March.
“He also needs consistent training over weeks, and minutes with our under-21s and getting back into his best shape. Then he will be ready for us. When I say spring, I mean March time.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. We want to see the best Franca possible. Crystal Palace have never seen the best Franca, because he came from Brazil as a 19-year-old and took time to adapt to the Premier League while struggling with injuries.”