Crystal Palace have been handed a potentially significant boost ahead of their Premier League clash with Burnley over the weekend after it was revealed Eberechi Eze is expected to be available for selection.

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The highly-rated 23-year-old has been sidelined since injuring his Achilles back in May but made his return via a 60-minute runout for the capital club's U23s prior to the international break.

After his successful outing for Shaun Derry’s youth side, Eze expressed his excitement at the prospect of playing in front of Palace supporters for the first time, stating he ‘cannot wait’ to entertain the fanbase.

“That’s going to be a beautiful feeling.  Stepping out and feeling the atmosphere, hearing the fans, entertaining them. That’s all I want to do, and I honestly cannot wait for the day,” he said.

And Eze may not have to wait much longer. According to CaughtOffside reporter Colin Walker, the creative talent is set to be on the bench for the trip to Turf Moor on Saturday.

He tweeted: "Understand Eberechi Eze will make a return to the Crystal Palace squad this weekend against Burnley - Likely to be on the bench to start."

Patrick Vieira will be delighted

News that Eze is set to make his first-team comeback imminently will have Palace manager Patrick Vieira feeling absolutely delighted, given his importance to the side.

Last season, he bagged four goals and provided six assists in 34 top-flight appearances, highlighting his influence over proceedings, and everyone associated with the south London side will be eagerly anticipating his first minutes of the season.

The prospect of Eze linking up with new teammates such as Odsonne Edouard, Conor Gallagher and Michael Olise is an exciting one for Palace and a daunting one for opposition defenders.

Whether he's ready to come off the bench against the Clarets remains to be seen, but just his presence in the matchday squad will be enough to provide a significant boost.

His fitness boost is timely too, with the Eagles soaring high in the top-flight this term.

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