Chelsea have received unfortunate news on the injury front as they prepare for an eagerly anticipated London derby clash with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge this Saturday.
The club from West London has officially stated on their website that Carney Chukwuemeka and Trevoh Chalobah have experienced setbacks in their injury recovery, and as a result, they will have to stay on the sidelines.
Chukwuemeka hasn’t played for Chelsea since their 3-1 loss to West Ham United in East London, where he scored his first goal for the team but then sustained a knee injury requiring surgery.
Despite being fit enough to be on the bench for a 4-1 win against Burnley, he didn’t get any playing time. Unfortunately, the English ace has encountered another setback in training, postponing his chance to make only his third appearance for the Blues this season.
Must Read: Chelsea suffer blow as Mykhailo Mudryk suffers an injury against North Macedonia
While the club has not provided additional details regarding Chalobah’s recovery issue, the defender aggravated a hamstring injury during training back in August and has yet to make his competitive debut under Pochettino’s management.
The club has stated that both Chukwuemeka and Chalobah will remain under the care of the medical team and continue their recovery at the Cobham training facility.
Adding to the injury concerns, club captain Reece James is also uncertain about the upcoming Arsenal match due to a setback suffered during training.
The captain has had to step back from group training sessions and is now engaged in individual rehabilitation at the Cobham training centre.
The full-back had been making progress in his return from a hamstring injury he suffered in August. However, a recent setback means that Pochettino will need to decide between Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella as potential replacements.
Also Read: Chelsea in a three-way battle to sign Schalke 04 midfielder Assan Ouedraogo
Gusto is now eligible for selection after serving a three-match suspension, while Cucurella has been doing well in an unconventional right-back position, as he was moved from his usual position on the opposite flank to make room for Levi Colwill.
