Iain Dowie will be without the services of in-form striker Neil Shipperley for the visit of Reading tomorrow.
Shipps has been in resurgent form over the last few matches, forging an inspirational partnership with top-scorer Andy Johnson. But he’ll be forced to sit out the match against the Royals after picking up a fifth yellow card in the defeat against Derby a couple of weeks ago.
Dowie also has several injury headaches for the match that will see Steve Coppell return to Selhurst Park for the first time since the 5-0 hammering of Brighton in 2002.
Julian Gray and Dougie Freedman will both have late fitness tests to determine whether they can face Reading. The pair will be hoping to make it through, although Dowie has his doubts.
"Julian is struggling with a knee injury at the moment and Dougie has taken a knock as well," the Palace boss told the official site. "Hopefully they will be OK but it’s going to go to the wire for the pair of them."
Freedman in particular will be desperate to play tomorrow to remind Dowie of what he can do for the team up front. The fans' favourite hasn’t played a full 90 minutes for the first team since Dowie’s arrival.
Aki Riihilahti is still some way from a first-team return, and so Shaun Derry will continue to deputise.
Reading have injury worries of their own, with a defensive crisis meaning midfielder Andy Hughes is likely to fill in for Graham Murty at the back.
Probable Palace XI
Berthelin
Butterfield Hudson Popovic Granville
Routledge Hughes Derry Gray
Johnson Freedman