Crystal Palace enters Sunday’s Community Shield match against Liverpool burdened by a confluence of concerns, including player injuries, a relatively quiet transfer window, and an ongoing appeal regarding a UEFA decision. Manager Oliver Glasner led the team to a historic victory in May, securing their first major trophy with a win over Manchester City in the FA Cup. However, the excitement surrounding Palace’s first Community Shield appearance is tempered by these off-field issues.

last month, UEFA relegated Palace to the third-tier Europa Conference League due to an alleged breach of multi-club ownership regulations. The issue stems from John Textor, President of Eagle Football Group-majority owners of Olympique Lyonnais-previously holding a controlling stake in Crystal Palace. Eagle Football Group divested its ownership in Palace last month, and the club has afterward appealed the demotion to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with a hearing scheduled for this month.

“If you have to play in the Conference League, it feels like we have been punished,” Glasner stated to reporters on Friday. “We hope that this verdict brings us back into the Europa League because, as I said, we haven’t done anything wrong.”

Adding to Glasner’s pre-match anxieties, striker Eddie Nketiah is sidelined for approximately eight weeks due to an injury sustained during pre-season training. Midfielder Cheick Doucoure is also expected to be out for two months. Further compounding the situation, Matheus Franca and Caleb Kporha are also nursing injuries, leaving the squad short-handed.

“We have also had injuries to Franca and Kporha too. So we are short of numbers. If we want to be competitive, we have to add players with good quality,” Glasner explained.

The manager expressed dissatisfaction with the club’s activity in the transfer market, stating that Palace has been “quite passive.” He emphasized the need for reinforcements to adequately compete in both domestic and European competitions. “In a situation like this now, we definitely need two more players, one at the back and one in the attack,” he added.

Speculation surrounds the future of Eberechi Eze, the player who scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final. Despite the transfer rumors, Glasner confirmed that Eze will feature in Sunday’s match. “He will play on Sunday, definitely,” Glasner affirmed.

Despite the challenges, Glasner emphasized his team’s eagerness to face Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions. “Liverpool are a top team and it’s much better than playing friendlies. It’s a chance to win a trophy and the chance to compete with the champions. We want to show our personality again,” he concluded.

Will Eddie Nketiah play in the Community Shield? No, eddie nketiah is out for eight weeks with an injury.

What is the status of Crystal Palace’s appeal to CAS? The hearing is scheduled for this month, with the club hoping to be reinstated into the Europa League.

Is Eberechi Eze likely to leave Crystal Palace? While there has been speculation, he is expected to play in the Community Shield.