Crystal Palacevs.Ipswich

Kieran McKenna has confirmed that Sammie Szmodics will undergo ankle surgery and will be out for "an extended period of time", while Axel Tuanzebe will miss this weekend's match with a "small muscle injury" and also needs another operation on the same thumb he nearly lost during a freak accident while washing up earlier this season.

Both players join Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles), Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin (both knee) and Arijanet Muric (shoulder) in the treatment room, while Saturday's game is set to come too soon for Omari Hutchinson and Julio Enciso (both knee) who are not too far away from making a full recovery.

Cameron Burgess and Kalvin Phillips will both have calf problems assessed ahead of kickoff, while Christian Walton has recovered from a groin injury and is available to return to the matchday squad, although Alex Palmer is set to retain his place in goal.

McKenna is set to make a number of changes to the side that lost on penalties to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday, with Ben Johnson the most likely candidate to start at right-back in the absence of Tuanzebe and could be joined in the back four by Dara O'Shea, Jacob Greaves and Leif Davis.

Jens Cajuste will hope to start alongside captain Sam Morsy in centre-midfield, while top score Liam Delap, who has netted 10 PL goals this season, could be supported in the final third by Jaden Philogene, Jack Taylor and Jack Clarke.

Ipswich Town possible starting lineup: Palmer; Johnson, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Morsy, Cajuste; Philogene, Taylor, Clarke; Delap

Written by

Oliver Thomas