Key Crystal Palace star to miss Chelsea clash after suffering worrying injury in Carabao Cup win

Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Crystal Palace will be without a key player for their Premier League clash at Chelsea on Sunday.

The London clubs meet at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea full of confidence after battering Wolves 6-2 last Sunday – Enzo Maresca’s first league win with the side.

Palace meanwhile have lost their opening two league games to Brentford and West Ham but did pick up their first win of the season on Tuesday night after thrashing Norwich 4-0 in the Carabao Cup.

However, just minutes into the match at Selhurst Park the Eagles were dealt a huge blow when Chadi Riad went down with what appeared to be a knee injury.

The £12.6million summer signing was visibly in a lot of pain and had to be helped off the pitch as he was replaced by Chris Richards.

In his post-match press conference, Palace manager Glasner revealed he did not know the extent of the injury but confirmed that Riad would miss the trip to west London.

‘I don’t have a diagnosis right now. It looks like something happened with the ligament in his knee,’ the Austrian said.

‘We all hope it’s not too serious. It looks to me like he will at least miss the Chelsea game on Sunday.

‘I will be able to tell you more on Friday. I can’t speak for him, but he says, “It doesn’t look so bad. I hope”.’

Riad is set to become a huge part of Palace’s defence following the sale of Joachim Andersen to Fulham and the uncertainty around Newcastle-linked Marc Guehi.

The 21-year-old’s absence for the Chelsea game is a problem as it seemingly leaves Glasner, who plays with a back-three, with just two centre-back options: Guehi and Richards.

Rob Holding is potentially available but has made just one appearance since signing for Palace from Arsenal last summer, and was a surprise absentee from the squad for the Norwich win.

It likely means veteran right-back Nathaniel Clyne will start in the back-three though Palace have been linked with signing a few new defenders before Friday’s transfer deadline day.

Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix is heavily linked and there is also interest in Chelsea outcast Trevoh Chalobah and Arsenal’s Jakub Kiwior.

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