Latest Chelsea injury news as 11 miss Middlesbrough with positive Christopher Nkunku update
Mauricio Pochettino is still waiting to have all of his Chelsea squad available with yet more injury concerns emerging. Both Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia missed the first few months of the campaign before both returning in quick succession only to suffer fresh blows that have them back on the sidelines again.
The Blues have been plagued by injuries throughout the first six months of Pochettino's tenure in west London with Nkunku, as one of his marquee summer signings, playing just four games this season. Wesley Fofana has yet to even play this season, while the likes of Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Benoit Badiashile have consistently been plagued by injury issues.
With that in mind, Pochettino was asked if any players would be returning for the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough. «No, I think we are going to have the same squad for tomorrow, the semi-final, nothing new,» he replied.
Given the extensive injury list, Pochettino was asked for a specific update on Nkunku with some good news being that it is not a recurrence of the knee issue that kept him out for over three months. «It's not related to his old injury, it's a different problem,» Pochettino said on Monday.
«A small issue in his hip, not in his knee, we are cautious with him because it is six months from his injury, and he was involved in few games. He won't be involved tomorrow, we will see for Saturday. We are not sure, we are going to be cautious.» When asked for a return date, he replied: «Hope it is not a long period. At the moment he is not training, he is doing recovery. Not a big issue.»
Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja have both been deployed in the absence of Nkunku with another major change having to be made in goal with
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