Uche Poised for Crystal Palace Debut vs Sunderland

Nigeria international Chrisantus Uche could make his first appearance for Crystal Palace when they face newly promoted Sunderland at Selhurst Park on Saturday.



Palace manager Oliver Glasner confirmed the possibility during his pre-match press conference on Friday. He revealed that while the game will come too soon for injured trio Adam Wharton, Ismaïla Sarr, and Eddie Nketiah, Uche and fellow new arrival Jaydee Canvot may be included in the squad.



There was also positive news for Spanish winger Yeremy Pino, who made his debut off the bench against Aston Villa and is now in contention for a starting place.



"Fortunately, all the international players came back healthy and fit so that everybody of them is available," Glasner said. "At the moment it looks like Adam Wharton, Ismaïla Sarr and Eddie Nketiah are available at least against Liverpool, so in two weeks. That’s a great job from our medical department.



"Tomorrow none of them are available. Millwall, none of them is available, maybe Adam and Eddie have a chance for West Ham. We have 18 fit on-field players – and all the new signings will be in the squad tomorrow. There is a good chance that Yeremy [Pino] makes his starting debut for Crystal Palace tomorrow.



Uche joined the FA Cup champions this summer from Spanish side Getafe. Earlier this week, he featured for the Super Eagles in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa, coming on as a second-half substitute in the 1-1 draw.





Editorial



We view Uche’s potential debut as a significant moment both for the player and Nigerian football. A move to Crystal Palace, now an established Premier League club, brings with it intense expectations. For Uche, this is an opportunity to showcase not just his individual talent but also the resilience and adaptability Nigerian players are known for.