NEIL WARNOCK says there is no chance Shefki Kuqi will play in this weekend's trip at Preston, despite only having 13 available players to choose from.
Kuqi was told he could leave the club last Saturday after making an obscene gesture to Eagles fans following his substitution against Wolves last week.
Warnock is struggling to have enough players on the bench after Palace were hit by an injury and suspension crisis.
However, the experienced striker will not be handed a reprieve by the manager despite the obvious temptation to involve him.
Warnock said: "I won't be involving Shefki this weekend and it is unlikely Shefki will get another chance at this club.
"You can never say never though. Anything can happen, the manager could leave. Stranger things have happened."
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Not for the first time this season, Warnock will be relying on the younger members of his squad to deliver the goods.
Due to the club's injury woes and suspension troubles, young starlet Victor Moses could get a rare first team start at Deepdale.
Warnock said: "We have a depleted team this weekend to say the least and will be taking a mixture of players really.
"With the squad we have, we will have to involve some of the young players in the team and Moses will definitely be travelling."
Paul Ifill, John Bostock, Neil Danns and Sean Scannell are all likely to miss the Preston game through injury, while Clint Hill, Jamie Scowcroft and Tom Soares are all suspended.
With the Eagles down to the bare bones, Warnock revealed Tony Craig may make his first appearance since early November after playing 45 minutes in a reserve game.
Although Preston are dangerously hovering above the relegation zone, Warnock is in no doubt of the threat the Lancashire team can pose after they beat title challengers Stoke 2-0 on Tuesday.
He said: "They have got some good players and it's always a hard place to go.
"Luck has deserted them and decisions have gone against them. It just shows you how close the league is really because we were there recently.
"They have beaten West Brom, Watford and Stoke. I don't think they are a poor team at all."
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