Gary Cahill still missing for Palace while Blades have two players isolating

Posted Friday, January 01, 2021 by PA

Crystal Palace will still be without defender Gary Cahill as they prepare to face Sheffield United at Selhurst Park.

Cahill sat out his side’s 1-1 draw with Leicester after injuring his hamstring against Aston Villa, and is yet to return to full fitness.

Boss Roy Hodgson has no new injury concerns with defender Martin Kelly (calf), goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey (thigh), right-back Nathan Ferguson (knee) and striker Connor Wickham (thigh) all still out.

Blades boss Chris Wilder does not expect to have any of the players available who missed Tuesday’s defeat by Burnley.

Two unnamed players are isolating after testing positive for coronavirus while a couple more are doubts with knocks picked up in the loss to the Clarets.

Oli McBurnie, Billy Sharp and Phil Jagielka were all absent from the squad on Tuesday. John Lundstram completes a three-match ban while Sander Berge and Jack O’Connell are long-term absentees.

Crystal Palace provisional squad: Guaita, Van Aanholt, Dann, Clyne, Townsend, McArthur, Kouyate, Eze, Ayew, Schlupp, Butland, Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, McCarthy, Batshuayi, Benteke, Henderson, Mitchell, Woods, Milivojevic, Meyer, Zaha.

Sheffield United provisional squad: Ramsdale, Verrips, Baldock, Stevens, Basham, Egan, Lowe, Jagielka, Robinson, Bogle, Ampadu, Fleck, Norwood, Osborn, McBurnie, Sharp, Mousset, Burke, McGoldrick, Brewster.