English giant Chelsea have been a shadow of their former selves, seeking to bounce back from the disappointments of the past couple of seasons to regain their top-six status in the Premier League. They are currently in the 11th spot in the league standings, aiming to finish as high as they possibly can.
The Mauricio Pochettino-coached side recently missed out on a golden opportunity to secure silverware amid a tumultuous campaign, following their defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup final. As they revert to league fixtures, they are set to take on Newcastle United, with new injury concerns emerging.
Ben Chilwell hits with fresh knee injury before Chelsea vs Newcastle
The struggling Chelsea side has been grappling with injury woes ever since the start of the current campaign, and they have now suffered another setback with a fresh injury in their squad. Ben Chilwell has sustained a knee injury and will be out of action for the next game against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
The English defender hasn’t been training since his previous Premier League outing during the 2-2 draw against Brentford last weekend. His condition will be referred to a specialist for further assessment. This setback comes at a time when the fullback is gradually regaining his starting place in the lineup.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino confirmed the 27-year-old’s injury, stating, “We need to wait until he sees a specialist. I hope it is not a big issue. At this moment, after eight, nine months at the club, I prefer to be cautious and wait.”
This season, Chilwell has only managed to secure 13 starts in a total of 18 appearances across all competitions. A hamstring injury earlier in the season sidelined him for three months, causing him to miss a significant number of games for Chelsea. Now, this knee problem could potentially mar the rest of his campaign.
Chelsea’s injured list also includes Conor Gallagher and Levi Colwill
Alongside their captain, Ben Chilwell, two other key players midfielder Conor Gallagher and center-back Levi Colwill, have also joined him in receiving treatment. Gallagher is currently dealing with illness, and 21-year-old Colwill has picked up a toe injury against Brentford.
Pochettino further updated, “The situation is the same as last week. You all know now that we’ve added Levi Colwill and Chilwell to the list of injured players. Since Saturday, Gallagher has not trained because he’s got a virus.”
The Blues’ extensive list of injured players includes Carney Chukwuemeka (ankle), Benoit Badiashile (groin), Wesley Fofana, Reece James (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Christopher Nkunku (unknown), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Thiago Silva (groin), and Marc Cucurella (ankle).
He added on a spree of injury problems, “It’s very frustrating and disappointing because the situation has never allowed us to work with the full squad. Yes, we are suffering this kind of negativity in terms of injuries, but we cannot stop believing and stop working.”
