BREAKING NEWS: “They won’t be available for our next match” – Chelsea Manager Mauricio Pochettino broke down in tears as a crucial Chelsea FC trio will be unavailable for their upcoming significant fixture This has put the fans in an unpleasant mood.
The injuries seems to really serious
I hope they recover soon but we don’t know how the next match would look like
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino will now have to put his side’s incredible 4-1 win over Tottenham to the back of his mind as they prepare to host reigning champions and current league leaders Manchester City.
VAR drama, two red cards, five offside goals and five actual goals all eventually led to the Blues taking home all three points, which has propelled them up into the top half of the table. The clash also saw the return of Reece James to the lineup, with the captain being handed his first league start since the opening weekend against Liverpool.
Chelsea were still without seven first team players on Monday and will hope that there’ll be a few more waiting in the wings over the next few weeks. Here, football.london brings you the latest from the Blues’ treatment room.
Reece James
James was handed a first start in the league since his injury against Liverpool. He played more than 75 minutes before being replaced by Malo Gusto with his side 2-1 up against Spurs, and was involved in the go-ahead goal.
Mykhailo Mudryk
Mudryk was absent from the matchday squad to face Brentford over last weekend and also missed the cup win over Blackburn. However, he was in the squad against Tottenham where he made a late cameo and is set to return for his regular minutes this weekend after an illness.
Christopher Nkunku
Nkunku is still yet to play a competitive game for Chelsea following his transfer from RB Leipzig in the summer. The 25-year-old was dealt a major blow to his knee during a pre-season friendly against Borussia Dortmund.
He has taken his recovery programme to the next level – for the very first time since the summer, Nkunku was spotted outside on the training pitches at Cobham in his Chelsea gear. Now, Pochettino has hinted that the France international could return to action after the November international break.
Possible return date: Newcastle United (A) – Saturday, November 25
Armando Broja
Broja was omitted from the matchday squad to face Arsenal last month. He is currently being assessed for an irritation on his knee and it’s unclear when he will return. He was not included in the squad against Tottenham, though Pochettino did hint at his involvement in his pre-match press conference.
What Pochettino said: “Today [Friday] we were talking and maybe he will be available to be on the bench for Monday. Hope he can be involved.”
Possible return date: Manchester City (H) – Sunday, November 12
Romeo Lavia
According to the Mail, Lavia is expected to remain out of action until late November despite having taken promising steps towards a full recovery. The report states that the Belgian was able to take off his protective boot in October and he’s since begun his rehabilitation programme at Cobham training ground.
The Mail adds that a return in November is viewed as ‘optimistic’. It’s believed that the west Londoners are cautious of rushing him back ahead of schedule, meaning that Lavia may not return until early December.
What Pochettino said: “I cannot tell you [when he will be back] but he is still not running. After the international break he will not be back.”
Possible return date: December
Carney Chukwuemeka
Chelsea issued an official statement confirming that Carney Chukwuemeka had picked up a knock ahead of the meeting with Arsenal. He had made the bench against Burnley but has since hit another setback and is yet to play again this season.
The teenager has struggled with a knee problem despite only recently returning to full first-team training at Cobham. It is not certain how long he will be out for.
Possible return date: Unknown
Ben Chilwell
Chilwell suffered a knock towards the end of Chelsea’s clash with Brighton in the Carabao Cup at the end of September. Unfortunately for the Blues defender, the club quickly realised that the muscle issue was worse than first thought and, a month later, he’s still out of action.
What Pochettino said: “I can not tell you [when he will be back]. It is difficult to know. He is away from the training ground now and we will wait for him to come back to see the situation. Hopefully, he can recover as soon as possible.”
Possible return date: December
Wesley Fofana
Fofana is set to miss most of the season after rupturing his ACL in pre-season training ahead of the tour of America.
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