Chelsea are suffering from yet another spate of injuries ahead of facing Luton tonight, with Mykhailo Mudryk the latest to be struck down.
The 22-year-old suffered a muscle injury in training this week and has begun a period of “rehabilitation”, as described by the club
Pochettino stated on Thursday, “It is a minor injury, a few days, he won’t be available tomorrow.” “I am very disappointed because we had high hopes for him as a player,”
Carney Chukwuemeka is also sidelined after suffering a left knee injury during Chelsea’s weekend loss to West Ham. He will now likely miss six weeks of work.
Romeo Lavia won’t be allowed to make his Chelsea debut either as Chelsea works to improve his fitness through a training regimen.
Trevoh Chalobah and Reece James both tore their hamstrings last week and will be sidelined for around a month.
They have now joined Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Armando Broja, Benoit Badiashile, and Marcus Bettinelli in the Blues medical facility following preseason knee injuries that required surgery.
Pochettino is left with few options for attack, which might lead to Noni Madueke making his first start since suffering a hamstring injury in preseason.
Ben Chilwell, a former defender who now plays on the left wing, will most likely remain on the flank in attack alongside Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling, and Conor Gallagher.
Gallagher may move farther forward into Chukwuemeka’s place by starting Moises Caicedo in midfield. The new £115 million acquisition gave away a penalty on Sunday at the London Stadium.
Romeo Lavia is still improving his fitness, although Enzo Fernandez is very set to start.
“Moises is ready to start, Lavia is not,” Pochettino remarked. He needs a few weeks to recover after [the fitness instructors] evaluated him before he can join the team. He is currently working on his conditioning and trying to catch up to the team and his teammates.
“For Romeo, we need to hold off until he joins the team for a few weeks.”
Despite giving up three goals the last time out, Chelsea may keep the same backline with Robert Sanchez in goal and a defense of Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, and Levi Colwill in front of him.
Chelsea’s projected starting lineup is as follows: Sanchez; Gusto; Disasi; Silva; Colwill; Caicedo; Enzo; Sterling; Gallagher; Chilwell; Jackson.
Mudryk, Chukwuemeka, Nkunku, James, Chalobah, W. Fofana, Broja, Badiashile, and Bettinelli have all sustained injuries.
