One Crystal Palace academy graduate is now likely to make his first Premier League start of the season on Sunday.
Oliver Glasner welcomes Unai Emery and Aston Villa to Selhurst Park, in what will be the final clash of a rather eventful 2023/24 campaign – to say the least.
At one stage, relegation looked to be a real possibility under Roy Hodgson, but a stunning seven-game unbeaten run under the 76-year-old’s replacement now has us in with a chance of finishing in the top ten.
That will only happen if we beat Aston Villa – while Brighton and Bournemouth must lose to Manchester United and Chelsea respectively – and Crystal Palace No.52 David Ozoh is highly likely to be involved, in our view at least…
Why David Ozoh should make full Premier League debut
In our view, the current situation in Crystal Palace’s midfield department is likely to result in a first ever Premier League start for the 19-year-old on Sunday.
Glasner confirmed on Friday that Will Hughes would be absent for five weeks after suffering a knock in the 3-1 win over Wolves, while the man who replaced the Crystal Palace No.19 in that match, Naouirou Ahamada, is suspended after picking up two yellow cards at Molineux.
Furthermore, Cheick Doucoure is also still sidelined, and while Jefferson Lerma is now fit again, we are not expecting the Colombia international to be risked ahead of the Copa America this summer.
Therefore, Ozoh could – finally – make his full Premier League debut, something the teenager richly deserves for his fine displays off the bench this season.
The Valencia-born prospect impressively played a vital role in helping us come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium back in December, with a masterful midfield showing which Jeffrey Schlupp even mentioned as recently as April, such was the memorability of it.
Potential sign of the future for Crystal Palace
If Ozoh does start on Sunday – and shines alongside a fellow youngster in Adam Wharton – it could be a glimpse into the future for Crystal Palace fans.
Wharton is just 20 years of age, so if we can fend off interest – Bayern Munich are keen – and keep the England U21 international for years to come, he and Ozoh could well be midfield partners for a considerable period, if Doucoure fails to return to the player he was before that nasty achilles injury.
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