Pierre Sage delivers Crystal Palace injury latest as star in line for long-awaited comeback

Cheick Doucoure is in line to make his first senior appearance in almost two years as Crystal Palace host Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday. The midfielder has had hellish luck with injuries over the past three years. He suffered a ruptured Achilles in late 2023 and returned to the pitch after months out, only to then tear his meniscus in January 2025. Having featured regularly throughout pre-season, though, the player is finally ready to play competitive first-team football again. Pierre Sage has confirmed he expects Doucoure to be involved at Selhurst Park on Tuesday, ending a more than 600-day wait to represent the club. 'When I told him he would be with us today (Saturday), his smile was incredible,' Sage told reporters on Monday. 'I think (his reaction was as if) I gave him $1million. I like this kind of reaction because that's for me the start of how we play football, how we love this game and the only thing he wanted is to come back with the team. 'This is the first step and he will play a little bit on Tuesday for sure.' His return is good news for Palace, who are already contending with injuries to Chadi Riad and Jean-Philippe Mateta, with Ismaila Sarr also unavailable. Sage has promised to name a strong side against Boro, shying away from wholesale changes. Evann Guessand and Dwight McNeil were both left out of the matchday squad for last weekend's defeat of Fulham, a move which Sage hopes will inspire them to buck up their ideas. The Eagles' head coach explained: 'They were not in the squad because I was not happy with their performance when they came on the pitch against Manchester City. 'It's my decision. Sometimes the players have to be shaken to regain their level. It's only one game. 'They just have to take the information to change things during the session because they have the opportunity to show every week and maybe they will come back with us on Tuesday.'