WELCOME BACK: Good news to the Eagles as long term loaned Player set to make Selhurts Park return .
In an interview with cpfc.co.uk, the defender shared that he spent part of his offseason eagerly looking forward to the return of matchdays at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace will host their first home game of the 2024/25 season against West Ham United this Saturday, with both teams coming off opening-day defeats.
Speaking ahead of the Premier League’s return, Richards said, “The summer was good for all of us. Whether we had time off or went deep into different tournaments, it was a positive break.
“But there came a point during the summer when I found myself thinking about playing at Selhurst again! Playing alongside the guys I see every day – I’m really excited about it.
“You reflect on the memories made last season – whether it was traveling to a game or during a match – and you start thinking about the new memories you want to create this year.”
Although Palace suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Brentford on Sunday, with two goals disallowed, Richards sees the three consecutive London derbies at the start of the season as a unique opportunity.
He observed, “It’s a double-edged sword because you sometimes want to play the so-called bigger matches early in the season, hoping your opponents might not be in form – but you also need to be in form.
“I think it’s a great way to set the tone for the season, having three crucial games right at the start.”
Regarding this weekend’s matchup, Richards mentioned that the recent preseason encounter between the two teams, where Palace defeated West Ham 3-1 in Florida to win the Stateside Cup, will likely have little impact on Saturday’s game.
“West Ham are a very physical, strong, and direct team,” he noted. “It seems like they’ve done really well in the transfer window, so they’ll definitely be a different team from the one we played in the summer.
“Regardless, I think we’ll be able to match up against them and, hopefully, secure three points.”