Crystal Palace’s Vieira provides Eze injury update ahead of Arsenal clash
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Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has confirmed the return to training of attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze ahead of their trip to face Arsenal on Monday.
The Anglo-Nigerian has been sidelined since suffering an Achilles injury in the final week of last season and he has not turned out for Palace in this campaign so far.
Speaking ahead of Palace’s trip to face the Gunners at the Emirates, Vieira stated the 23-year-old has started collective training but warned against putting pressure on his return to action.
“Eze is getting better,” Vieira said in his pre-match press conference as quoted by the club’s official website.
“He has started taking some part in collective training, but again we don’t want to put any kind of pressure on him or any kind of date on when he will be ready.
“He is doing well, and we just have to evaluate how he is feeling week after week. We won’t set any kind of date on his return.”
In a recent interview, Eze, who is yet to play in front of Palace fans since his permanent switch from QPR in August 2020, expressed his eagerness to return and play in front of a packed Selhurst Park.
“It’s an exciting time to be a Palace fan, to be at Palace. I believe anything is possible. The players we’ve got right now and the way we played at the weekend [vs Tottenham Hotspur] was proof this works. If we take it game by game we could end up wherever,” Eze said.
“It’s a brilliant time for me; I’m just – again, I don’t want to rush, to put pressure on myself – but the day I come back is going to be beautiful for me.
“A beautiful experience stepping out with the fans. I haven’t experienced all the fans before. It’s going to be like my debut all over again. Amazing.”
Palace are placed 14th on the 20-team table with seven points from seven matches as they have managed one win, four draws and suffered two defeats.
