Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure is set to make his first senior appearance in almost 20 months.
Doucoure has been absent through various injuries over the past three years, first rupturing his Achilles in a 2-1 defeat by Luton Town in November 2023 and then, after recovering to play in 13 games, tearing his meniscus in January last year.
At the end of last season, the 26-year-old featured several times for Palace’s Under-21 side, before playing throughout pre-season, emerging unscathed.
The club’s player of the year in 2022-23, his debut season, Doucoure was the subject of interest from Liverpool that summer, but those injuries have held him back.
Manager Pierre Sage, though, says he will be involved in Palace’s Carabao Cup match with Middlesbrough on Tuesday, which would mark the Mali international’s first appearance since a 2-0 win over Leicester City on January 15, 2025.
“When I told him he would be with us today (Saturday), his smile was incredible,” Sage said in his press conference before the Middlesbrough game.
“I think (his reaction was as if) I gave him $1million. I like this kind of reaction because that’s for me the start of how we play football, how we love this game and the only thing he wanted is to come back with the team. This is the first step and he will play a little bit on Tuesday for sure.”
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Despite Doucoure’s return, Sage suggested he will tweak his side without making wholesale changes.
“I’m not really fond of big rotations because every time I did that I’m unhappy at the end of the game, not especially with the result but sometimes with the (lack of) coordination of the players,” the Frenchman added.
“But at the beginning of the season we have to respect all the commitment of all players during the session and it’s maybe the opportunity for them to show (it).
“We have to win this game because we are ambitious in this competition too and that’s not only about rotation.”
There was no place for Evann Guessand or Dwight McNeil, two summer signings, in the matchday squad for the 3-2 victory over Fulham, with the pair dropped as a “sports decision”. Guessand, meanwhile, was not named in Palace’s Europa League squad.
“They were not in the squad because I was not happy with their performance when they came on the pitch against Manchester City,” Sage said.
“It’s my decision. Sometimes the players have to be shaken to regain their level. It’s only one game.
“They just have to take the information to change things during the session because they have the opportunity to show every week and maybe they will come back with us on Tuesday.”
