Crystal Palace assistant manager Osian Roberts has, on Friday, hinted that star midfielder Conor Gallagher could be forced to sit out the club’s meeting with West Ham United.
Irons test
Palace, of course, are primed to return to action tomorrow evening.
As part of another Covid-19-hit Premier League gameweek, the Eagles will welcome the aforementioned West Ham to Selhurst Park, for a highly-anticipated London derby showdown.
Patrick Vieira’s men head into the clash with their tails up, on the back of a much-needed return to winning ways last time out.
On the back of just a solitary win from their prior seven, the south Londoners made short work of relegation-battling Norwich City on Tuesday night, to climb back up to 11th in the English top-flight table.
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 06: Manager Patrick Vieira and Joachim Andersen of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park on November 6, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
‘We’ll see…’
As such, despite the impending absence of manager Patrick Vieira from the touchline, Palace will no doubt be confident in their chances of making it two wins from two on Saturday, at the expense of David Moyes’ high-flying Hammers.
Any such hopes, however, could yet be dampened by the absence of one key member of the Eagles’ squad.
The player in question? Conor Gallagher.
Midfield dynamo Gallagher, who has of course enjoyed a scintillating campaign on loan at Selhurst Park to date, sat out Palace’s meeting with Norwich in midweek, amid non-confirmed rumours of a positive test for Covid-19.
In turn, speaking to the media on Friday evening, Eagles assistant boss Osian Roberts was inevitably drawn on the status of the English international for Saturday.
And the tactician went on to confirm that Gallagher remains a doubt, ahead of a late pre-match fitness test:
Osian Roberts on the absence of Conor Gallagher. “It’s one we’re unsure of and we’re tackling it on a day to day basis. The rest of the group, we will see what today brings. Hopefully, we’ll have clarity later on this evening.” #CPFC
— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) December 31, 2021
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