Chelsea risk Malo Gusto injury nightmare vs Man United with fresh Reece James worry clear

It has been almost four months since Reece James' last Chelsea appearance. In that time Malo Gusto has dealt with an injury of his own, grabbed three assists in the league, and asserted himself as one of the best full-backs in the league.

For a 20-year-old that cost comparatively little to those that play around him on a weekly basis this is a big claim but it also true. After 28 games this season — of which he has played in 21 — Gusto averages more tackles per90 than any other defender.

Add in his output moving forward — after all he did used to be a winger in Lyon's academy -and there is a well-rounded, balanced, and impressive right-back already performing. Only Cole Palmer has more than Gusto's eight assists in all competitions for the Blues whilst in the league there are just three defenders to have bettered his five so far.

Per90 it is only Kieran Trippier that can match his assists tally of those with more than 1,000 minutes played. Even being in the 10th worst defence in the division — and Chelsea have played at least one fewer game than everyone so that standing could well drop given they are conceding two per match across the past two months — hasn't dampened the hype around Gusto.

There is certainly a word of caution around him though. Against Burnley on Saturday he started his sixth league game in a row, the most he has managed since arriving in the summer, and pulled up late on holding his hamstring. Already in the past 14 months he has missed 15 games with muscular injuries and that extends to 21 in a year and a half.

Gusto picked up a medium-term problem just weeks after his deal to join Chelsea was announced. It was somehow poetic and ironic as they looked to find a strong back-up that could genuinely