Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah has said that he is pleased to get the opportunity for more minutes, though acknowledged that it has not come in the best circumstances with Jean-Philippe Mateta sidelined through injury.
Mateta was replaced by Nketiah during Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Millwall and received 25 stitches following a dangerous challenge from opposition goalkeeper Liam Roberts.
Nketiah scored the final goal of the 3-1 victory and, while he was clearly happy to get gametime, he also had concern for the welfare of his team-mate.
“I’m gutted for JP [Jean-Philippe Mateta]. He is a big character and I wish him a speedy recovery. I’m happy we got the win for him, and we go into the next round,” said Nketiah.
“This is unfortunately football sometimes. I want to play minutes, I work hard every day to do that and I got the opportunity today, but not in the best circumstance.”
Nketiah could now be in line for a start against Ipswich Town at the weekend, which would be his first since the FA Cup third round on 12 January, having scored goals in back-to-back matches.
Despite his lack of minutes, he was pleased with how his body held up to the challenge.
“I felt good. I knew it was going to be a tough game. I had to stay patient and, when the moment came, I had to be ready to take it,” he said.
“I pride myself on working hard every day. I’m ready and hopefully more opportunities will come. I just want to be out there and to help the team.”
Kieran McKenna, meanwhile, does not anticipate having to lift his players for the trip to Selhurst Park, following their penalty defeat at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday.
The Tractor Boys are now five points from safety with 11 games remaining in the Premier League season and, asked whether the FA defeat would affect his players mentally, McKenna said he thought not.
“I don’t think mentally I will, to be honest. The players will come in with renewed confidence with the way they competed, renewed belief in the squad and the way we are working,” he said.
“They will have good feelings from the performance. The biggest challenge is how we recover physically for Saturday.”
Selhurst at the weekend #CPFC // #CRYIPS pic.twitter.com/2W9Be6Fgyw
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) March 5, 2025
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Crystal Palace – Eberechi Eze
Eze comes into this match having taken at least four shots in four of his last five league appearances, with the only outlier a 29-minute substitute outing at Manchester United last month.
Despite injury issues that have limited his involvement to 21 starts in the Premier League, Eze is Palace’s top assister with six in the league so far and nine in all competitions.
Ipswich – Liam Delap
Delap has scored 10 goals in the Premier League this season, which is at least six more than any other Ipswich player.
The 21-year-old has netted two of Ipswich’s last five league goals, including the opener in a 1-1 draw away to Aston Villa in February.
MATCH PREDICTION: CRYSTAL PALACE WIN
Crystal Palace haven’t lost any of their last 18 Premier League home games against sides starting the day in the relegation zone (W12 D6), since a 4-0 loss against Sunderland in February 2017.
Over the past 14 Premier League matchdays (since December 3rd), only Liverpool (33) and Arsenal (29) have earned more points than Crystal Palace (27 – W8 D3 L3).
Ipswich, meanwhile, remain winless in the Premier League so far in 2025, drawing two and losing six of their eight games and conceding at least twice in seven of those. The Tractor Boys have never failed to win any of their first nine league games in a single calendar year before.
McKenna’s side currently have the third-worst travelling record in the Premier League, having taken just 10 points from 13 matches (W2 D4 L7).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Crystal Palace – 61.9%
Draw – 20.6%
Ipswich – 17.5%
