Richards Out This Past Week

Defender Sidelined for Second Consecutive Match in Palace Win Over Brighton

Chris Richards missed his second straight match due to a calf injury, which was confirmed by Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner ahead of Saturday's fixture against Brighton. The U.S. international, a cornerstone of Palace's defense with 14 consecutive starts across all competitions before his injury, was initially expected to return this weekend after sitting out Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Southampton.

"Unfortunately, he was very close to training with us today," Glasner explained at Friday's press conference. "If it had been the last season's game, I think he would have played and would have started. But we can't take the risk when you see our upcoming schedule and the amount of games."

The injury apparently developed after Richards played the full 90 minutes in Palace's impressive 3-0 FA Cup quarterfinal victory over Fulham last weekend. Despite completing that match, the Alabama native experienced discomfort in his calf afterward, which intensified as the week progressed.

In Richards' absence, Palace still managed to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory against rivals Brighton in a heated affair that featured three red cards. Jean-Philippe Mateta opened the scoring early before Daniel Munoz netted the winner in a match showcasing the clubs' fierce rivalry.

Glasner will hope to have Richards back for next weekend's challenging fixture against Manchester City. The Eagles are also preparing for their FA Cup semifinal against Aston Villa at Wembley on April 26.