Crystal Palace injury update eases Glasner's final selection call

Earlier this week, we reported on Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano's Conference League final numbers. The new issue for Crystal Palace is the team sheet, and Tuesday morning brought a useful lift. Adam Wharton and Chris Richards were both back in training before Wednesday's final, which gives Oliver Glasner a far better picture than the injury scare suggested.

Why Wharton and Richards matter so much

The concern around Richards was specific. He had been absent from training last week after an ankle injury in Crystal Palace's 2-2 draw with Brentford. Wharton had also been forced off after a coming together with Myles Lewis-Skelly against Arsenal. That is why their return to training on Tuesday morning mattered, even before any final decision on the starting line-up.

The underlying performances explain the caution. Wharton has averaged a 7.11 rating in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season, while Richards has rated slightly higher at 7.18. Richards has also started 31 Premier League matches this season, and Wharton has played 34 league games, so Palace have leaned on both players across a long run of fixtures.

Glasner has already shown he is willing to manage the risk carefully. "Chris is okay, but he's not at 100%", he said. "We decided after I talked to him this morning that it’s better to have him on the bench". That leaves the club in a better place than it looked when Richards was still sitting out training.

Palace now have a cleaner selection picture

The safest read is that Palace are heading into the final with a near fully fit squad, not a guaranteed full one. That matters because this is Glasner's final game as Palace manager, and the club are aiming to win their third trophy in 12 months. A late boost in midfield and defence is exactly what they needed before a European final.

Palace's season has already carried enough load, with 11 goals in six Conference League games and a 3-1-2 record in the competition. If Wharton and Richards are both available in some form, Glasner can at least choose from a stronger group than he did during the midweek scare. The final against Rayo Vallecano now looks more like a team selection problem than a medical one.

If that is where this settles, Palace will go into Wednesday with the kind of selection relief managers rarely get before a final.