Huge injury blow for Chelsea ahead of crucial period

Chelsea recorded just their second Premier League win of the season on Monday as they cruised to a 2-0 victory over West London rivals Fulham. 

The Blues arrived at Craven Cottage having failed to score in their previous two league games, but two quickfire first-half goals from Mykhaylo Mudryk and Armando Broja put Mauricio Pochettino’s side in a commanding position.

Next up for Chelsea is a trip to Turf Moor to face Burnley on Saturday, but in the meantime Pochettino has been dealt a huge blow.

As reported by The Telegraph, left-back Ben Chilwell is set for an extended spell on the sidelines with his injury turning out to be worse than first thought.

The defender was forced off in the closing stages of the Blues’ 1-0 Carabao Cup third round win over Brighton and Hove Albion last week, and it has since been revealed that he has suffered a significant hamstring injury and could be out until December.

Chilwell, 26, joined the Blues from Leicester City back in 2020 and has since made 92 appearances for the club across all competitions.

Chilwell is set to be out for at least two months after suffering a hamstring injury

The England international has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists for Chelsea, but has also struggled with injuries ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge.

At the start of the current season, Chilwell was made vice-captain of Pochettino’s side, and the former Foxes man has worn the armband on four occasions this term in the absence of Reece James.

Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen would be the most obvious replacements for left-back Chilwell, but the Englishman has actually been deployed in a more advanced role by Pochettino so far this term.

His fellow countryman Levi Colwill has been used as a makeshift left-back, with Chilwell failing to start Chelsea’s last two league games before suffering his injury.