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Oliver Glasner has confirmed two players who are set to start for Crystal Palace against Liverpool on Wednesday, while ruling one of his regular defenders out due to injury.
The Eagles travel to Anfield in midweek for a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie, with last season’s Premier League and FA Cup winners both looking to end disappointing runs of results respectively.
But with Liverpool and Palace playing in European competitions this season, the clubs are likely to rotate their teams for the Carabao Cup clash. Liverpool looks set to start third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, while Glasner is also planning to change his regular No. 1.
The Austrian confirmed in Tuesday’s press conference that Walter Benitez will start in goal following his penalty heroics in the last round against Millwall. Centre-back Jaydee Canvot, who also made his Palace debut in that all-London affair, looks set to be drafted in too.
“Jaydee will start, and also Walter Benitez will start,” said Glasner ahead of the trip to Merseyside. “They are the two players I can mention today.
“It’s not a gift – they deserve it. Jaydee, I spoke to him and said I don’t care about [his error against Larnaca last week], it’s part of football.
“He won a lot of duels, and he’s doing well in training. We trust him, and that’s why he will start tomorrow in the back three.
“Walter is the same. He’s doing so well in training, and he deserves to get some minutes as well.”
But there is one major absence for Palace, with Chris Richards picking up a knock in Sunday’s defeat against Arsenal.
He is set to miss the Liverpool clash and is a doubt for Palace’s Premier League match against Brentford on Saturday. It’s a blow for Glasner, with Richards playing every minute of Palace’s league campaign so far.
“We’ve just one issue: Chris Richards has a little bit of an issue with his calf, so he own’t won’t make the trip to Liverpool tomorrow,” said the FA Cup-winning head coach.
“All the others are fine and recovered well. The players showed at the Emirates that they are fit and they could try to get the equalizer until the final whistle, so it looks positive.”
Meanwhile, Glasner admitted his preparation for the midweek match was made more challenging by the uncertainties surrounding Liverpool’s starting XI.
“We don't know which team they are playing. Usually, in the League Cup, they have rotated quite a lot.
“They have a few doubts with injuries. But the way they are playing won't really change. Of course, we watched their game against Brentford back, because they are our next two opponents.
“It’s a great team,” he added on the recent downturn in form. “I don’t know why (Liverpool has struggled recently). It’s not my job to analyse what happens at Liverpool. We are playing them now for the third time this season.”
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