Crystal Palace early team news v Everton: Michael Olise development in quadruple update for FA Cup clash
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has issued a quadruple injury update ahead of their meeting with Everton.
The Merseyside club welcome the Eagles to Goodison Park on Wednesday (17 January) in an FA Cup third round replay.
The two Premier League clubs played out a goalless draw at Selhurst Park at the beginning of the month to force a replay.
“We have to wait on Michael Olise,” said Hodgson, as quoted by BBC Sport. “We don’t know quite how long but he won’t be fit for this game or the next one. Then we’ll see when our next game comes up after that. He’s working at it, of course, like all of them.
“The ones that remain out are Michael and Rob Holding alongside Joel Ward and Cheick Doucoure of course. They are the ones who are definitely out recovering with Michael.”
Toffees boost
The absence of four Crystal Palace players for the FA Cup clash at Goodison Park is, of course, a massive boost for the home side.
They will need all the help they can get against the Eagles, with their confidence perhaps at an all-time low after they were handed another charge for breaking the Premier League’s financial rules.
That could, however, galvanise the players, with such a scenario happening when the Toffees were given a 10-point deduction earlier this season.
Sean Dyche’s men did lose to Manchester United immediately after that punishment, but quickly went on a fine winning run to climb back up the league table.
It remains to be seen exactly how they will approach the upcoming meeting with the Eagles now, with Dyche perhaps wanting to focus on Premier League survival.
An FA Cup run could, however, give some much-needed joy to supporters of the Merseyside outfit after a disappointing season so far.
In other Everton news, a BBC Sport pundit has named one Toffees star in his Premier League Team of the Season so far.