Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has provided a positive update on the fitness of Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Newcastle United at Selhurst Park.
While Nketiah has missed the Eagles' last two Premier League games with a hamstring injury, Eze has been sidelined for the last three matches with the same injury.
Palace have somewhat struggled in their absence, as they have picked up just two points from a possible nine available, most recently sharing the spoils with Aston Villa in a 2-2 draw last weekend.
Glasner currently sees his side down in 19th place in the Premier League table after winning just one of their opening 12 matches this term, although they are only one point adrift of safety.
An encounter with 10th-placed Newcastle - who lost 2-0 to West Ham United on Monday - is up next for Palace, and Glasner has confirmed whether both Eze and Nketiah will be available for selection this weekend.
Eze, Nketiah to return to Palace squad for Newcastle clash
"We are like the weather: lovely," Glasner joked at his press conference on Friday. "The draw at Villa gave us confidence, and we had a really good week in training.
"Players are coming back, players have had one more week of training after returning from injuries, so it was very positive.
"Ebere [Eze] will be in the squad tomorrow, and Eddie Nketiah as well. They worked pretty hard in their rehab, and also the medical staff did an amazing job, so that's why they are available earlier than expected.
"Both had a good week. But it's the same with other players, like Cheick Doucoure who returned last week, they are out for several weeks but it's good when we enter a three-game week that players are back, so now we have a better situation in the squad."
Glasner is aware that he will need to call upon his wider squad as they enter a busy festive period, with Saturday's clash with Newcastle the first of eight Premier League games before the end of the year.
"It gives us more possibilities - tomorrow, then it will be the same three days later at Ipswich, and then we play Man City, so it's a very intense week," the Austrian coach explained.
Glasner: "We need all the players on the top level"
"We speak about high intensity, but Newcastle, Ipswich and we are the three teams playing with the highest intensity in the last weeks, and that is what I expect from those games.
"We need all the players on the top level. I know Ebere can't play all three games over 90 minutes, so it's good that he is back, and the same with Eddie. We have to manage the minutes they get, but it's good just to have the opportunity when you need it.
"It looks like in every game it's very similar, that the games get decided in the last 15 or 20 minutes - in the crunch time - and therefore it's good to have players available.
"Overall the situation is a bit better, but again you can't be on the top level if you are out for several weeks. I don't know any player who comes back and is straight on the same level as he was before.
"They need the training time, they need the game time, to get back to their top level."
Crystal Palace will be without Daichi Kamada on Saturday, as he will serve the second of a three-match suspension, while Chadi Riad (knee), Adam Wharton and Matheus Franca (both groin) all remain sidelined as they continue to recover from injury. body check tags ::
