Crystal Palace have made eight changes to their starting XI for tonight’s Carabao Cup third-round meeting with Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park, with 18-year-old Italy international Honest Ahanor named for his debut.
The defender is one of four players making their first competitive starts for the club. Ă“scar Mingueza, Ben Chilwell and DarĂo Osorio also come into the XI, while Chilwell makes his first start since returning for a second spell after appearing as a substitute in Saturday’s win.
Goalkeeper Walter BenĂtez, midfielder Will Hughes and forward Jørgen Strand Larsen are all set to make their first starts of the season. Hughes will captain the side, while BenĂtez returns to the team after saving two penalties at this stage of the competition against Millwall last season.
Dean Henderson, Jaydee Canvot, Chris Richards and Eddie Nketiah are rested from the squad that won at Fulham. Anan Khalaili, Tyrick Mitchell, Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada move to the substitutes’ bench, with Palace’s other replacements being Remi Matthews, Jefferson Lerma, Justin Devenny, Yeremy Pino and Evann Guessand.
Palace entered the competition at the third-round stage as one of eight seeded teams, following their participation in the UEFA Europa League. Middlesbrough reached this round by beating Wrexham 1-0 and Doncaster 3-1. The tie will go straight to penalties if it is level after 90 minutes, as extra time is only used from the semi-finals onwards.
Palace: BenĂtez; Tomiyasu, Disasi, Ahanor, Mingueza; Timber, Hughes; Chilwell, Pino, Osorio; Strand Larsen. Substitutes: Matthews, Mitchell, Khalaili, Lerma, McNeil, Kamada, Wharton, Gozo, Guessand.
