Michy Batshauyi absent as Crystal Palace host Chelsea

Posted Friday, April 09, 2021 by PA

Crystal Palace will be without loanee Michy Batshauyi for the visit of Chelsea on Saturday with the forward ineligible to face his parent club.

The Belgian scored off the bench at Everton on Monday, but will sit out this fixture and joins fellow striker Connor Wickham on the sidelines after he picked up a slight knock in training.

James McCarthy is available for Roy Hodgson again after a recent groin injury while Nathaniel Clyne (muscle), James Tomkins (eye), Mamadou Sakho (thigh) and James McArthur (calf) are still absent.

Chelsea boast an almost full squad for the Selhurst Park trip, but Thiago Silva will be missing after his red card at home to West Brom last weekend.

N’Golo Kante could start after coming off the bench in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Porto in Seville.

Christian Pulisic could also be in the mix to start, with the USA forward eyeing full fitness and form.

Crystal Palace provisional squad: Guaita, Ward, Cahill, Kouyate, Van Aanholt, Riedewald, Milivojevic, Ayew, Eze, Zaha, Benteke, Butland, Dann, Kelly, Mitchell, Schlupp, McCarthy Mateta, Hannam, Hennessey.

Chelsea provisional squad: Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Alonso, Christensen, Jorginho, Kante, Abraham, Pulisic, Werner, Caballero, Zouma, Mendy, Kovacic, Giroud, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Chilwell, Ziyech, James, Azpilicueta, Havertz, Palmieri, Gilmour.