Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage expects Dean Henderson to return to the matchday squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup last-16 tie against Fulham at Craven Cottage, with the game scheduled to begin at 19:45 GMT. Henderson has missed the club’s last 10 matches with an ankle injury, but Sage indicated that the goalkeeper is likely to play.
Palace will be without Ismaila Sarr, whose ongoing groin problem is continuing to limit him. Sage said the decision was taken with the player to leave him out so he can receive treatment and work towards returning at full capacity.
Jorgen Strand Larsen is also a doubt after twisting his ankle during last Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Besiktas. Sage said the forward’s availability would be assessed on Wednesday following the tackle that caused the injury.
With Palace managing a demanding European and domestic schedule, Sage confirmed that changes to the team are expected. However, the manager wants to balance recovery time with maintaining match sharpness, particularly with Saturday’s fixture at Tottenham to follow. Some players will therefore be rested, while others may feature to preserve their rhythm.
Sage also addressed the pressure surrounding his position after Palace’s difficult start to the 2026-27 season. He said he always feels responsibility in the role, but added that there was no internal disruption at the club and that the focus remained on hard work and restoring competitiveness. Following the 2-0 defeat by Newcastle, he had described Palace’s difficulties as partly mental, while saying the squad had since made significant changes to improve how it feels.
