'Like I gave him $1 million' - Cheick Doucoure set for long-awaited Crystal Palace return after 20-month injury hell

Crystal Palace midfielder Doucoure is poised to make his first senior appearance in nearly 20 months, marking the end of an agonizing period on the sidelines. The 26-year-old, who was voted the club's Player of the Year during his debut 2022-23 season, has seen his career stalled by consecutive long-term fitness issues. Doucoure first suffered a ruptured Achilles during a 2-1 defeat to Luton Town in November 2023, and after working his way back to make 13 appearances, he was struck by a torn meniscus in January last year.

After proving his fitness with the Under-21 side at the end of last season and coming through a full pre-season schedule unscathed, the former Lens man is finally ready to reintegrate into the first-team set-up. His absence has been a major blow for the Eagles, especially considering he was a high-profile target for Liverpool in the summer of 2023 before his injury woes began.

Manager Pierre Sage expressed his delight at being able to call upon the midfielder again, highlighting the player's infectious enthusiasm when he received the news. Speaking ahead of the cup tie, Sage noted the pure joy Doucoure showed during training. 'When I told him he would be with us today, his smile was incredible,' the Frenchman told reporters. '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.'

Sage confirmed that Doucoure will feature in Tuesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie against Middlesbrough, a match that would mark the Mali international's first competitive appearance since a 2-0 victory over Leicester City on January 15, 2025. The manager's words underline how significant the midfielder's return is for squad morale as Palace aim to build momentum in the early stages of the campaign.

While Sage is keen to give minutes to returning stars like Doucoure, he remains wary of making too many changes to his starting eleven. The Palace boss admitted that he is generally cautious about disrupting the team's rhythm, even in cup competitions.

The manager emphasized that Crystal Palace intend to take the Carabao Cup seriously this year, aiming for a deep run in the competition. 'I'm not really fond of big rotations because every time I did that I'm unhappy at the end of the game, not especially with the result but sometimes with the (lack of) coordination of the players. But at the beginning of the season we have to respect all the commitment of all players during the session and it's maybe the opportunity for them to show it,' he added. 'We have to win this game because we are ambitious in this competition too and that's not only about rotation.'

Palace have endured a stuttering start to the Premier League campaign, currently sitting 13th in the table following one win and two defeats. The Eagles will be eager to steady the ship and rediscover the form that brought them remarkable silverware over the past two seasons, having lifted the FA Cup in 2024-25, the FA Community Shield in 2025, and the UEFA Conference League trophy last term.

Following their cup tie, Palace will turn their attention back to domestic action when they host Ipswich Town, searching for back-to-back Premier League victories after securing a hard-fought 3-2 win over Fulham on Saturday.