Joachim Andersen and Nathaniel Clyne set to miss Leeds United clash for Crystal Palace
Joachim Anderson and Nathaniel Clyne are due to be missing from the Crystal Palace line up to face Leeds United, as part of a five-strong group of absentees.
The pair have each featured in six of Eagles’ seven Premier League games so far this season, but Danish international defender Andersen picked up a calf injury in training and missed the Chelsea defeat on Saturday (1 October).
Clyne started that game but was stretchered off with an ankle problem, leaving the home side short in defence for the Whites’ visit to Selhurst Park on Sunday 9 October.
According to injury analyst Ben Dinnery at Premier Injuries Andersen has just a 25% chance of featuring against United, while English full-back Clyne is definitely ruled out.
Also missing are the longer-term absentees Nathan Ferguson, Jack Butland and James McArthur.
Conversely, it is just Luis Sinisterra’s suspension for two yellows in the draw with Aston Villa at the weekend (2 October) that keeps him out from the regular contributors in Jesse Marsch’s squad.
Stuart Dallas is still out for some time with his broken leg, while youngster Archie Gray broke a toe and should be back this month, but Adam Forshaw’s twisted ankle could be healed in time for him to be in contention.
Tables turned
For once it is the opponents and not Leeds who are sweating on key members of the team being out with injury issues, with the recent 29 day lay off allowing Marsch’s men to recover from previous issues.
One injury crisis after another has dogged the past year, and while Forshaw and Gray still picked up problems to remind everyone not to get too excited around Elland Road, the main core is largely in tact.
With competition for places in attacking areas particularly high at the moment, there is plenty of firepower to turn to in order to take advantage of gaps in Patrick Vieira’s defence.
The frustrating 0-0 against Villa upon finally returning to action was an improvement on the 5-2 implosion a month earlier, but was undercut by playing for nearly a half with 10 men.
Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo are both now fit and could benefit from the absence of Andersen, while Jack Harrison should get more joy out of Joel Ward than Clyne.
The Whites need to exploit any weaknesses they can find as they look to record a first win in four games, and it looks they’ve been handed an advantage for this one.
In other Leeds United news, Joe Gelhardt’s chances of returning to the team after his shock exclusion have been provided by Beren Cross.