Crystal Palace dealt blow ahead of Liverpool clash as Chris Richards ruled out
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has been handed a setback ahead of their Carabao Cup encounter with Liverpool tomorrow night, confirming that defender Chris Richards will miss the trip to Anfield due to injury.
The Eagles will head into the fixture looking to compound Liverpool’s recent struggles after Arne Slot’s side suffered a fourth straight Premier League defeat, losing to Brentford last weekend. Notably, Palace were the team that began Liverpool’s poor domestic run earlier this month with a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park.
Glasner, who guided Palace to FA Cup triumph last season, revealed the news in his pre-match press conference.
“We’ve just one concern — Chris Richards has a minor calf issue, so he won’t be travelling to Liverpool,” Glasner told Liverpool.com.
“Everyone else is fit and has recovered well. The players showed fantastic energy at the Emirates, fighting for an equaliser until the end, so things are looking positive.”
After their narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, Palace will aim to bounce back, with Jean-Philippe Mateta, Ismaila Sarr, and Adam Wharton all capable of troubling Liverpool’s vulnerable defence.
The Reds have failed to keep a clean sheet since mid-September, with defensive instability continuing to plague Slot’s side. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté have looked unsettled at the heart of defence, while issues at full-back persist — Milos Kerkez has yet to convince since arriving from Bournemouth, and Jeremie Frimpong remains unavailable through injury.
Under mounting pressure, Arne Slot may view the Carabao Cup as an opportunity to stabilise Liverpool’s season and deliver much-needed silverware to restore confidence at Anfield.
