Crystal Palace midfielder to have surgery after ‘really struggling’ with groin

Adam Wharton will have surgery on a long-term groin problem and is expected to be out for around four weeks, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said after the injury left  the 20-year-old unable to train on Friday.

Midfielder Wharton, who was a surprise inclusion in England’s Euro 2024 squad, has started eight of Palace’s nine league games this season.

“We took the final decision that he will have surgery,” said Glasner, ruling Wharton out of the trip to Wolves on Saturday (5.30pm GMT).

“He tried [to train] today but there’s too much pain and it makes no sense. He’s really struggled in [recent] weeks and months and so we took the decision he will have surgery. We hope to have him back after, let’s say, four weeks.”

Wharton had a loan spell at Championship side Blackburn Rovers before starting 15 of his parent club’s closing 16 games of 2023-24, establishing himself under new manager Glasner and contributing three assists.

Working for Wolves 🏋️‍♂️#CPFC pic.twitter.com/vaijPU1jVz

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) November 1, 2024

Palace injuries: Eze out

Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze will miss at least two games with a hamstring injury he sustained during the 2-1 Carabao Cup last-16 win at Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Glasner said it would be “very ambitious” to expect Eze back for Palace’s subsequent fixture, at Villa on November 23, adding: “I know we have a great medical department and he will work hard, so let’s see.”

Jefferson Lerma is out for a similar timeframe but fellow midfielder Cheick Doucoure is making good progress in his recovery from a long-term Achilles problem and right-back Joel Ward should return at home to Fulham on November 9 (3pm).

Centre-back Chris Richards will resume training next week  “if everything goes the right way”, according to Glasner.

Our Daichi Kamada 🥺💪#CPFC // #AVLCRY pic.twitter.com/fiqMm0UU0T

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) October 30, 2024

Wolves vs Palace

Despite their injury list, the pressure on Palace has eased following their first win of the season last Sunday, beating Tottenham 1-0 at home.

The result lifted them out of the bottom three and they could move five points clear of the relegation zone with victory over second-bottom Wolves.

Gary O’Neil’s team earned their second point of the campaign in extraordinary style, scoring in the 88th and 93rd minutes to recover from falling 2-0 behind in the 85th minute at Brighton & Hove Albion.