Crystal Palace have been dealt a blow ahead of this weekend’s Community Shield as Eddie Nketiah will miss out through injury.
According to BBC Sport, the former Arsenal striker will be sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury.
Nketiah, the 26-year-old, was substituted by manager Oliver Glasner in a pre-season defeat after he felt a pain.
FA Cup winners Palace take on Liverpool, the Premier League champions, in the season’s curtain-raiser at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
The Eagles then travel to Stamford Bridge the following weekend to face Chelsea in their Premier League opener.
Nketiah is listed to the two injury concerns that Glasner currently has, with central defender Chadi Riad still out with an ACL issue, and Cheick Doucoure is on a slow comeback trail from a knee injury that ended his season back in January this year.
Nketiah’s absence leaves Palace with two striking options ahead of this Sunday’s showdown.
First-choice centre-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and his compatriot Odsonne Edouard, who has returned to the club after a torrid loan spell at Leicester City.
Winger Ismaila Sarr has filled in up top a couple of times, and could also be a consideration for Glasner.
As for their debutants, there could be a couple that make their competitive bows for the club this weekend.
Left wing-back Borna Sosa arrived to rival Tyrick Mitchell from Ajax, and Walter Benitez bolsters the goalkeeping ranks.
