Christian Benteke in line for Crystal Palace comeback

Posted Friday, September 25, 2020 by PA

Christian Benteke could come back into the reckoning as Crystal Palace aim to extend their 100 per cent start to the season against Everton on Saturday.

The striker has sat out the Eagles’ promising start to the campaign with a knee injury but has been declared match-fit by boss Roy Hodgson and could feature.

The Eagles are seeing their injury worries begin to ease but Nathan Ferguson (knee), Gary Cahill, James Tomkins (both hamstring) and Patrick Van Aanholt (shoulder) are all still sidelined.

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit to start having reported a minor hamstring problem in the midweek Carabao Cup win over Fleetwood.

Midfielder Fabian Delph made his comeback from injury in that game after seven months out but will remain on Merseyside this weekend to train with a view to him starting against West Ham in the League Cup next week.

Centre-backs Mason Holgate (toe) and Jarrad Branthwaite (ankle) are still out.

Crystal Palace provisional squad: Guaita, Ward, Dann, Kouyate, Mitchell, Townsend, McArthur, McCarthy, Schlupp, Ayew, Zaha, Hennessey, Kelly, Woods, Milivojevic, Meyer, Benteke, Eze, Batshuayi, Henderson, Sakho, Jach, Kirby, Pierrick.

Everton provisional squad: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne, Gomes, Allan, Doucoure, Rodriguez, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, Virginia, Kenny, Sigurdsson, Davies, Iwobi, Bernard, Kean.