As per Mauricio Pochettino’s latest admission, it appears as if Chelsea might be boosted by the return of Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez for the big London derby against Tottenham.
The London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday is huge for both clubs, with the Lilywhites having the chance to move 17 points clear of their local rivals with a win.
A 17-point lead after just 11 Premier League games is a deficit that will be nearly impossible for the Blues to overcome, and Spurs also have the added motivation of getting one over their former boss, with Pochettino set to return to N17 for the first time since his sacking back in 2019.
Chelsea have a huge injury list at the moment, with the likes of Armando Broja, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana currently sidelined (Premier Injuries).
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: Chelsea Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino during a Press Conference at Stamford Bridge on July 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Chelsea and Pochettino receive injury boost
The West London club were also without Fernandez and Mudryk for their 2-0 loss at home to Brentford on Saturday, with Pochettino admitting before the clash that they both picked up knocks in training and had been rested as a precaution (Football.London).
However, Fernandez has since taken to social media to post an update of him hard at work in Chelsea’s Cobham training ground, which suggests that he could be back for the fourth-round Carabao Cup clash against Blackburn this evening.
When asked ahead of the League Cup tie whether Nkunku or Mudryk would be available to play against the Latics, Pochettino replied (via Football.London): “Mudryk, maybe. Nkunku no.”
Spurs Web Opinion
By the sounds of it, even if Fernandez and Mudryk do not play against Blackburn, the chances are that they will be ready for Monday’s clash. That is significant as Chelsea are certainly a stronger unit with Fernandez in the middle of the park.
Despite the Blues’ struggles this season, I do not think this game would be a walkover for Spurs as Pocehttino’s men have done well in games against big sides this season where they have been allowed to play on the counter-attack.
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