'I'm ready' - Chris Richards pushes through ankle injury

Rehab wasn't particularly fun, Richards said, but it was necessary. The initial diagnosis said he would be day to day, but he knew otherwise. From the start, he knew it would be 'two or three weeks' of off-field work to get where he needed to go. 'I think with ankles, it can be predictable,' he said.

'Palace wanted me to potentially be available for the Conference League final, which I understand because it's a final. It took me two days to get [to the U.S.] as well, so maybe it blew up a little bit over the flight, but, for me, I expected it. I've had ankle injuries before, and there wasn't really any setback.

It was just a case of slowing down, then seeing what it's like when you get on the pitch. It sometimes could take a little bit longer than expected.' Pochettino said the USMNT had been working off information that suggested Richards might return as early as Crystal Palace’s Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano, where he was ultimately only available from the bench.

United States

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