Oliver Glasner confirms key Crystal Palace duo will miss Manchester United clash

Manchester United have been handed a boost ahead of their Premier League trip to Crystal Palace with two key rival players out injured.

United travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday evening in high spirits after a 3-0 win at Southampton and a 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.

Ahead of the clash, Erik ten Hag has received some good news from his treatment room, with Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount back in training and in contention to play.

But it’s not positive news for Oliver Glasner who will be without a number of Palace players including summer signing Trevoh Chalobah.

The highly-rated Chelsea loanee is yet to make his debut after picking up a ‘strange’ abdominal injury in his first training session with the Eagles but it was hoped he would be fit in time to feature against United.

‘He’s progressing, but he’s not available tomorrow. We expect him back with the team next week,’ Glasner confirmed in his Friday press conference.

More worryingly, Cheick Doucoure has been ruled out for ‘several weeks’ with a toe issue, having gone down three times during the 2-2 draw with Leicester last weekend before being subbed off at half-time.

The defensive midfielder was named Palace player of the year in his debut campaign but missed much of last season with an achilles injury and his absence was very much felt.

‘Unfortunately, Cheick Doucoure has some [injury] to do with the tendon on the toe. We will miss him for several weeks,’ Glasner added.

‘The tendon has to heal, so it’s a little bit of a bad situation for him, but he will be back in a few weeks. Of course, he was sad, but he had a lot pain during the [Leicester] game and after the game.

‘Now we, and him as well, are pleased that it’s not so serious because it was so painful that there was a worry it was a serious injury. It’s not. He was out for eight months, so several weeks is a short period. He’s already working for his comeback.’

Additionally, long-term absentees Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca remain sidelined.

Palace thrashed United 4-0 in this fixture in May, possibly the Red Devils’ worst game of the season, with Adam Wharton playing a key role in the Eagles’ victory.

But Glasner has also revealed that the midfielder has been playing through the pain barrier, adding: ‘We have to manage him. He’s not painfree and some days are better, some days are worse, so he needed the rest [in midweek’s Carabao Cup win].

‘He had the entire game against Leicester and [playing] three days later just made no sense. He needs this time to rest, but now he’s fit.’

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