Crystal Palace Manager, Patrick Vieira has confirmed Eberechi Eze’s inclusion in the squad to face Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday.
The English-born player of Nigerian descent last featured for the Eagles on May 2021 after he picked up an Achilles injury that kept him on the sidelines for six months.
According to Vieira, Eze, will now be available for the first time this season, against Burnley, having featured twice for the U23s before the international break.
“Eze is doing really well. He played two games and 90 minutes [in an in-house friendly] and has been training with the team. He will be part of the group that travels to Burnley,” Vieira told the club’s official website.
Despite making the travelling squad, the former Arsenal midfielder insisted that Eze needs time to return to his full ability.
“He’s building up his confidence week after week. He played two games for the U23s and we played an in-house game and he felt really well. He’s improving but we have to give him time to get to where he was before his injury.”
In a previous interview, Eze 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.”
