WILL Hughes is out of Crystal Palace’s last match of the season against Aston Villa at Selhurst Park on Sunday – but Jefferson Lerma is back as the Eagles target a top-half finish.
Hughes went off injured in the fifteenth minute of the 3-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, but boss Oliver Glasner confirmed the injury is not as bad as first feared.
Lerma has been out with a hamstring problem since the 1-0 win against Liverpool at Anfield last month.
Palace need both Brighton and AFC Bournemouth not to win at home to Manchester United and away to Chelsea, respectively, to have a chance of finishing tenth.
Palace will clinch a top-half finish if both lose and they beat Villa, who have already clinched fourth place and a Champions League spot.
If Brighton and Bournemouth draw their games, Palace have to beat Unai Emery’s side by two goals to finish above the Seagulls in tenth.
“Will is out for the last game against Aston Villa,” Glasner said in his pre-match press conference. “It looked terrible on the video – in the game and on the video – but fortunately everything is okay with his ligament.
“He has a bone bruise and he will be out for several weeks. He should be back for pre-season, but he is out for the last game.
“Jefferson Lerma is fit and will come back to the squad, and all others are fit. I’m always pleased if a player comes back from injury.
“It’s good, but he was out for four weeks now and this was the first week of training, so he has to get back into the rhythm, but it’s good to have him back.
“We lost Will, and we lost Ama [Naouirou Ahamada] because of the red card, so both are not available and this gives us another option in midfield.”
