The Eze rule injury ‘hurt’ the playmaker due to a swollen foot

Eberechi Eze will not be involved when Crystal Palace try to extend their Premier League unbeaten run to six games at Arsenal on Saturday (17:30 GMT).

Eagles manager Oliver Glasner will rest Eze after picking up a foot injury in Palace’s 3-1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, although the Austrian is hopeful the England international will return for the trip to Bournemouth on December 26 (3pm) .

“He got a knock against Brighton,” Glasner explained, adding that Eze “got the next knock” due to injury during Palace’s 3-2 defeat by Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday.

“It doesn’t look serious, but when you have to wear boots, kick the ball and it’s painful, it’s not as free in terms of movement.”

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— Crystal Palace FC (@CPFC) December 20, 2024

Injuries to Eberechi Eze

Eze missed the away games at Wolves and Aston Villa either side of the home game against Fulham with a hamstring injury in November.

The 26-year-old is yet to play 90 minutes in the five matches since returning, although he did set up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the only goal in the game at Ipswich Town on 3 December.

“When you’re always in pain when you’re moving, you think too much about it (the injury) and you can’t play like you can,” Glasner said.

“We need every player to be 100% so it makes sense: we have decided to rest him and hopefully he will be available for Bournemouth.

“We need the best Eberechi Eze can be and therefore he must be fit like all the other players. I expect Ebere to be available for Bournemouth.”

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— Crystal Palace FC (@CPFC) December 20, 2024

Palace vs Arsenal

Palace took the lead at Arsenal on 49 minutes through Mateta’s goal, only for Gabriel Jesus’ 28th-minute stoppage-time hat-trick to render Eddie Nketiah’s late reaction meaningless.

“Confidence is when you take the lead, not to wait, (but to) also go forward and try to get the second goal,” Glasner said. “We scored first, and then we became passive.

“Then we lose 3-1 – the game is over, it looks like that – and suddenly we play much more forward again and we score the second goal.

“Why not always play the same way? Same style, forward play instead of caution. But that’s easy to say. I think everyone knows and has a lot of respect for Arsenal playing at the Emirates.

“Sometimes you have confidence, but they create so much pressure… you have to survive this pressure.”