Crystal Palace have been dealt another injury blow ahead of their Premier League opener with Arsenal this evening, with James Tomkins ruled out in the last 24 hours.
The Lowdown: Pre-season…
Patrick Vieira’s side haven’t had the best of preparations for the new campaign, with the Palace squad split in half in recent weeks. The Eagles took just ten senior players on their pre-season tour, with plenty of well-known names staying behind due to either injuries or travel issues.
Tomkins, who journalist Josh Bunting called ‘superb’ in his defending, was in the matchday squad for the final friendly with Montpellier and featured against QPR, but the experienced defender now won’t be seen this evening.
The Latest: Vieira’s update
Vieira faced the media on Thursday afternoon for his first pre-match press conference of the season.
He confirmed that Tomkins will join James McArthur and Michael Olise on the sidelines due to a calf problem.
The Verdict: Not ideal
Tomkins only made eight Premier League appearances last season, however, you’d expect he would have been in and around the squad this evening if he was available.
His experience could come in handy throughout the season, with three of Vieira’s five centre-back options 22 years of age or younger.
The five-substitute rule may also result in the 33-year-old receiving more game time, but we won’t be seeing him tonight in what is another blow for Vieira.