Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has given fans the latest news on several players dealing with injury. He spoke ahead of their match versus Brentford about who might play.
Chelsea Injury List:
Cole Palmer has a groin injury. He missed the last two games.
He trained only a little so far. Maresca said a decision will come after the afternoon training. If he is not fully ready, he will not play.
Delap has a more serious issue. He injured his hamstring during the match versus Fulham. He was substituted in the 28th minute with Tyrique George.
Maresca expects him to be out for about 10–12 weeks. This means he likely won’t return until December.
Other Players:
Levi Colwill is still out with a long-term knee injury.
Dario Essugo, a new signing, had surgery on a thigh issue. He got injured during the international break with Portugal U-21 team. He may miss a large part of the season.
Some Brazilian players are also in doubt. Maresca said Joao Pedro, Andrey Santos, and Estevao recently played at high altitude in Bolivia. They may need extra time to recover.
Moises Caicedo came back late from international duty, so his fitness is still being watched.
What It Means for the Team?
Chelsea has enough depth to cope. Maresca said that when Palmer returns, they will manage his minutes because many games are coming. They have signed several players for these kinds of situations.
Joao Pedro looks likely to take more of the striker role with Delap out. Others like Marc Guiu or Tyrique George may also fill in.
Author’s Insight:
Palmer is getting better, have trained partially with the team. Delap is out for a long time. Others have knocks or are recovering. Maresca is hopeful but cautious. The team must adapt till the injured players return.
