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Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward ruled out for a month

Crystal Palace's Joel Ward celebrates
Image: Crystal Palace's Joel Ward celebrates his goal at Chelsea

Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward will be sidelined for up to a month with a knee injury while Marouane Chamakh has suffered a further setback.

Right-back Ward, who scored in Palace's 2-1 win at Chelsea a fortnight ago, suffered the injury in training.

Palace manager Alan Pardew said: "Unfortunately we've lost Joel Ward this week. After his great performance against Chelsea he's got injured in training and will definitely be out for three to four weeks, so that's a blow to us."

Pardew also revealed striker Chamakh, yet to appear this season due to hamstring trouble, now faces at least another three weeks on the sidelines with an abductor injury.

But there was better news ahead of Saturday's visit of Manchester City as midfielder Yohan Capaye will be fit.

Yohan Cabaye, Crystal Palace
Image: Yohan Cabaye is set to play against Manchester City

The £10m summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain came off injured during France's friendly against Portugal last week, but Pardew says he will be available to face the Premier League pacesetters.

"Yohan came of as a precaution, he's had problems with his groin and he felt a little bit in the scar tissue," added Pardew.

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Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew says he is happy with the choice of strikers at his disposal, despite Glenn Murray leaving the club in the summer

"He did the sensible thing in coming off and he has trained today (Thursday), and he was magnificent."

With Palace flying high in second, albeit after just four games, Saturday's clash is a top-of-the-table encounter.

Pardew said: "It's an unusual position for us and something we probably can't sustain for a long period, but in the short term we can enjoy it. We deserve to be there after four games. It's just a shame there are another 34 to go."

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