Another defensive blow for Crystal Palace as key performer in win at Liverpool to miss West Ham United derby

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JEFFERSON Lerma is out of Crystal Palace’s London derby against West Ham United at Selhurst Park this Sunday after picking up an injury in the win at Liverpool last weekend. 

Lerma impressed in an unfamiliar position on the left side of a back three as the Eagles shocked Jurgen Klopp’s side 1-0 at Anfield. 

Lerma could miss the next three games against the Hammers, Newcastle United and Fulham. 

In a potential boost for Oliver Glasner in defence, centre-back Rob Holding has trained this week.

Marc Guehi is still out, while Chris Richards, Joel Ward and Will Hughes are doubts. 

“We have one player injured from the Liverpool game, and that is Jefferson Lerma,” Glasner said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

“We will miss him for at least until Manchester United [on May 6], so for this week where we have three games in six or seven days.

“I am pleased that Rob Holding is back. He trained for the whole week with us and he will be in the squad.

“We have three question marks. Chris Richards, it was the first time he trained with us today, but it was a very easy session.

“Then we have Joel Ward, who also had issues this week with his groin so we will see tomorrow, and Will Hughes got a knock yesterday in training, so he couldn’t train today.

“So it is three players we will take the final decision on tomorrow. That is it, nobody else is coming back.”

David Moyes’ West Ham were within minutes of inflicting a first defeat in all competitions this season on Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final at London Stadium on Thursday night. 

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, the hosts led 1-0 through Michail Antonio’s 13th-minute header. 

But Jeremie Frimpong scored in the 89th minute as Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga champions stretched their unbeaten run to 44 matches in 2023-24. 

Moyes also has injury problems to contend with this weekend, with key attacker Jarrod Bowen a doubt. 

Moyes said: ”I’ve not seen him yet today. Jarrod was really touch and go going into last night’s game, and it took an injection for him to play. We’ll have to see how he is ahead of Sunday.

“You always want your big players to be available. If we have them all we always have a good chance of getting a result.

I’ve not had a chance to assess Nayef Aguerd. He rolled his ankle. He and Konstantinos Mavropanos are both getting checked before Sunday.

“Emerson and Lucas Paqueta were suspended [for the Leverkusen game] so they will come back into contention, and Kalvin Phillips and Alphonse Areola will be checked.”

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