Crystal Palace have received a player boost after Jeffrey Schlupp was left out of Ghana’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Palace were resigned to losing a number of players to the tournament, including star man Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast), forward Jordan Ayew (Ghana) and midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal).
All three of those players have indeed been named in the squads of their respective nations this week [Goal.com].
Palace player boost as Schlupp snubbed
There was a chance that versatile operator Schlupp could be jetting off too, given that he has 20 caps for Ghana.
However, he was left out of the Black Stars provisional 30-man squad and will therefore definitely be available for the busy end of 2021 into early 2022.
Schlupp has featured in 12 of Palace’s 17 Premier League fixtures so far this season.
He has just one goal to show for his efforts but his versatility makes him a useful asset for Vieira, particularly when regular starters are missing.
Three Eagles players at AFCON
AFCON is set to run from 9 January to 6 February, with the group stages finishing on 20 January.
Therefore, the Palace players set to be involved will likely miss at least their FA Cup Third Round clash against Millwall and a Premier League fixture against Brighton.
Any players who progress beyond the group stages or can’t return immediately after their completion will miss another Premier League fixture against Liverpool on 23 January.
Palace have a short trip to Tottenham on Boxing Day as they look to build upon a win over Everton and a draw with Southampton in their last two outings.
Vieira has confirmed multiple Covid cases at the club ahead of the game and James McArthur is set to miss out with a hamstring injury [Sky Sports].
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