Oliver Glasner says a number of Crystal Palace players have been suffering from illness ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Stockport County – but was pleased with the training carried out by those available.
The Eagles kick off their 2024/25 FA Cup campaign against the Hatters at Selhurst Park this Sunday (15:00 GMT).
Glasner told his pre-match press conference: “Will [Hughes, who missed the match against Chelsea with a foot injury] is questionable, so it doesn’t look like [he will be available].
“We had many ill players this week, or many question marks. Until today, JP [Mateta], Maxence Lacroix and Tyrick Mitchell didn’t train. Caleb Kporha trained for the first time today, but Dean Henderson went home today, being ill.
“It can be that one or two come back tomorrow, but of course not available for starting if you’re in your bed with fever for almost the whole week – so there are still many question marks.”
Glasner was also questioned about the progress of Adam Wharton in his recovery from surgery, noting: “He’s improving but still far away from training with the team, but it’s getting better.
“I can’t tell you if it will take two weeks or three or four, but I think, in January, it is quite unlikely that he will return.”
As to how that sickness has affected training this week, Glasner was optimistic in his response, stating: “It was not difficult. All the healthy players made it quite easy for us because we had one of our best training weeks for months now, even with a small number.
“We had some players from the Under-21s, and the players had some days off after the Chelsea game and when we started again there was great motivation, great mentality to work, and also a very high quality in team training.
“I'm really pleased with how the training sessions were, and this gives me a good feeling for this three-game week that is coming up.”
Ahead of his first-ever match in the FA Cup – having joined Palace midway through last season – Glasner was full of praise for the world’s oldest surviving football competition.
“It’s the most traditional cup in England,” the manager smiled. “I mentioned it quite often: for me, every single game is important. I've personally a lot of positive memories with cup games, with winning trophies as a player, as a manager, as assistant manager.
“Now, we start in the FA Cup. We had to wait long to start into this competition. And then it is for me, it's always the same. When we start a cup competition, we enter it to win it.
“We were in the quarter-finals in the Carabao [Cup] and now we start the FA Cup against Stockport with a lot of respect for them.
“We analysed them, we watched many games – a good team, very attacking team, scoring many goals, very direct, very aggressive, good shape, good tactical behaviour.
“But again, it's clear. When we play as a Premier League team, we play at home against a League One team, it’s just one goal: win the game and go into the next round.”
Glasner recognised that, with a difference of two divisions between the two sides – Stockport go into the game in seventh place in League One, having won League Two with a club-record points total last year – both teams will have all to play for come Sunday afternoon.
“It makes the cup games so popular,” he said. “As we always say in Germany, it's David against Goliath!
“You have the chance to play a Premier League team and you want to show all your qualities and you want to show that you are competitive. That makes the Cup so interesting in every country.
“I know especially here in England, there's a lot of tradition with the FA Cup. They started more than 600 clubs in this competition. When you are the one who lifts the trophy, that means you are top of the 600. This is great.
“When you win the Premier League, you are top of 20 – of course, it's the best 20 – it's amazing. Also here, you are top of the whole of England. That makes it so special. We know this and it's just one more reason to win it.”
