FeaturedMen
Crystal Palace v Liverpool: Team news
Andoni Iraola reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of Crystal Palace v Liverpool, though Ryan Gravenberch is a doubt for the trip to Selhurst Park.
Midfielder Gravenberch did not travel for Wednesday’s game at Fenerbahce due to the heel problem that also prevented him from playing against Arsenal last weekend.
Reds head coach Iraola held his pre-Palace press conference on Friday afternoon and, when asked for a squad fitness update, replied: “The only doubt we will have is Ryan. The others will be the same as we have been.
“The Ryan Gravenberch thing is a day-to-day thing, it’s a matter of pain. Let’s see if he can deal with the pain and he can help us.”
Sunday’s 2pm GMT kick-off comes too soon for Jeremie Frimpong – who has missed the last five games because of a muscle issue – while Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni are long-term absentees.
Bradley Barcola started as Liverpool’s central forward in the midweek Champions League defeat in Istanbul and Iraola was quizzed on the likelihood of the France international being deployed there again this season.
“Bradley is a winger. He mostly has played as a left winger, sometimes as a right winger but also has played in PSG as a striker. It’s something that I wanted to try,” the boss said.
“I thought against the centre-backs he could be a threat, especially in behind. But he’s a winger and he will be mostly, 90 per cent of the time, used as a winger. But I think it’s alternatives that I sometimes want to try.
“I tried with Cody [Gakpo] against Chelsea, I think, in the Carabao Cup and not maybe from the beginning but it’s true that during the games I think it’s options that we can use when Alex [Isak] is tired and we need another type of striker.
“We can use other strikers that we have but also wingers that can do a job there.”
Palace, meanwhile, will be without forwards Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr on Sunday.
Mateta is suspended after he was sent off in the Eagles’ loss to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, while Sarr has not featured in their four most recent matches and will not return until after the November international break, according to manager Pierre Sage.
Sage sees Eddie Nketiah and Jorgen Strand Larsen as options to replace Mateta, saying: “As you know, JP [Mateta] was injured at the beginning of the season.
“There was the opportunity for Jorgen Strand Larsen and Eddie Nketiah to play. He will miss [the game], but we have to deal with it. We have big confidence in the other players. They’ve shown they are able to play and they are able to compete.
“We need them in the play, we need them to press, we need them to score, to finalise the offensive play. Jorgen showed that against Ipswich and against Lech Poznan, that’s why we know he’s able to score.
“Eddie scored against Fulham, he scored against Lech Poznan too, and Eddie is able to play as a No. 10 too.
“That’s why we will see what will happen on Sunday – but we have some solutions.”
Strand Larsen was an unused substitute for Palace’s 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim in the Europa League on Thursday night, following a three-match absence.
Sage completed his pre-Liverpool media duties immediately after that game and, on Strand Larsen’s fitness, stated: “He didn’t play today because the scenario of the game was not positive for him to have the possibility to let him play.
“But I think he’s able to play 60, 75 [minutes] and with the head and the stamina, maybe he can push this.”
Last match
Crystal Palace 1-1 Hoffenheim (November 5): Henderson, Richards, Canvot, Ahanor, Khalaili, Timber, Wharton, Mitchell, Kamada, Pino, Mateta.
Fenerbahce 3-2 Liverpool (November 4): Alisson, Gomez, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Mac Allister, Nyoni, Munoz, Szoboszlai, Ngumoha, Barcola.
