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United States Men's National Team (USMNT) centre-back Chris Richards, who is expected to be a key starter at the upcoming World Cup, had to be helped off the pitch following Crystal Palace’s clash against Brentford on Sunday afternoon. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner later confirmed that Richards suffered an ankle injury after a collision with Brentford striker Igor Thiago. The defender is anticipated to recover within a week.

A rough collision

The incident occurred during stoppage time when Richards went down after a challenge involving Thiago, Brentford’s powerful centre-forward. The Brazilian’s weight appeared to fall on Richards’ ankle, leaving the American needing medical attention. Although he managed to finish the match, Richards required additional evaluation after the final whistle and had difficulty walking unaided as he left the pitch.

Glasner remains positive about recovery

Despite the scare, manager Oliver Glasner expressed cautious optimism regarding the injury, noting that Richards might only require a short rest period. He explained after the game, “He twisted his ankle. I think Thiago landed on it, and it turned awkwardly. It’s quite swollen, so we’ll need to assess it further, but hopefully, he’ll be ready to return by midweek.”

Richards an essential figure for Palace

Richards has played a key role under Glasner since the Austrian took charge at Crystal Palace. The American defender has been a vital component in the manager’s preferred back-three formation and has made 49 appearances so far this season. He came off the bench against Brentford after playing the full 90 minutes in the previous match against Manchester City on May 13.

Ample recovery time before USMNT duty

Richards is expected to fully recover before joining the USMNT’s World Cup preparations later this month. The national team will assemble for training camp at the end of May and play two warm-up fixtures before beginning their World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 12.