Ending a three-game winless skid came at a price for Chelsea, as one of their key players suffered an untimely injury.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino suspects Ben Chilwell has suffered a possible hamstring issue.
On Wednesday, Chilwell returned to the Blues lineup after a two-game absence to face Brighton in a third-round Carabao Cup tie. He delivered a solid yet unremarkable performance, as Chelsea claimed a 1-0 win. Nicolas Jackson scored the game’s only goal in the 50th minute.
Yet, the promising evening took a downturn when Chilwell fell injured following a late tussle with Brighton’s Billy Gilmour. It brought a tense end to the game, as Chelsea, who had used up all their substitutions, had to finish with 10 men.
“We need to assess tomorrow, but I think it was his hamstring,” Pochettino said of Chilwell’s injury after the match.
Who else is missing for Chelsea?
The manager’s apprehension about the left-back adds to Chelsea’s ongoing concerns. Several key players are still on the sidelines, as mentioned below:
- Reece James
- Romeo Lavia
- Christopher Nkunku
- Carney Chukwuemeka
- Trevoh Chalobah
- Benoit Badiashile
- Wesley Fofana
- Marcus Bettinelli.
Adding to the challenges, Malo Gusto and Nicolas Jackson are set to be suspended for Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League clash against London rivals Fulham on Monday.