Sports News
Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia spotted as Chelsea receive double defensive injury boost
Chelsea stars are in training ahead of the Premier League clash with Newcastle and will soon welcome back their international stars as well as those returning from injury
The international break is not quite over but the countdown is well underway to Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Newcastle. The Blues head to St James’ Park on Saturday hoping to build upon two dramatic matches against Tottenham and Manchester City.
Mauricio Pochettino’s preparation has had to see him do without stars such as Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer, with a smaller group being available during the first week of the break. The Blues boss has however, had the benefit of working with captain Reece James who did not join up with England in a bid to maintain his recovery from injury.
Those not joining up with their international sides had time for a break, but Monday saw them back in action at Cobham ahead of a crucial match with the west London side hoping to lift themselves from 10th in the division. football.london takes a look at what can be gleaned from the club’s media releases from the sessions.
Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia spotted
Pochettino revealed that there was hope the duo could be involved in Chelsea’s plans following the international break but they would be monitored ‘day by day’ as they looked to complete their comebacks. The pair worked together on Chelsea’s training pitches ahead of the west London side’s match against Man City but were absent from pictures and videos that the Blues put out over the course of the first week of the Premier League pause.
Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia were both featured on Monday night, however, and pictured running together underneath the floodlights at Chelsea’s Cobham training base. They remained separate from the rest of the group, so perhaps the possibility of returning versus Newcastle remains unlikely but their progress over the course of this week is certainly to be watched.
Perhaps that should come as no surprise following Pochettino’s last conversation with Nkunku. The Blues boss explained: “We had some conversation and he said to me, ‘Coach, I want to be ready for after international break, Newcastle’. I asked him yesterday and he said ‘hmmm’, and I said ‘you are liar’. ‘No, no I am ready’.
“It is close and he is doing really well. We are so happy with him, the way he is recovering, he is very professional. Romeo Lavia is also close. They trained today on the pitch. Hope that next week will be involved with the team and see after. Day by day see when it is possible to play with the team.”
Thiago Silva returns
Thiago Silva was one figure back in action after the veteran spent time back in his homeland last week. The Brazilian was pictured completing work in the gym alongside Raheem Sterling before going on to complete some ballwork with the rest of the team later in the day.
Silva, should he play against Newcastle, as he is expected, will become Chelsea’s oldest ever outfield player. A stellar record having already become the Blues’ oldest goalscorer last time out.
Injury boosts
While there remains some uncertainty about the rate of recovery of Nkunku and Lavia, Chelsea do appear to have received a double injury boost in defence. While Pochettino already has a full backline of players who have not featured for their countries in Reece James, Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile and Marc Cucurella, he seems to have two more contenders for the team before Axel Disasi makes his return from France duty.
Levi Colwill and Malo Gusto pulled out of the England and Franced under-21 squads respectively due to injury. Colwill missed Chelsea’s match against Manchester City due to a shoulder injury, while Gusto underwent a scan with Les Bleus that showed a knee injury. Both players were involved on Monday however, with Gusto showing little hesitancy to slide across the floor in a rondo, while his teammate was pictured dribbling during a drill.
Youngsters spotted
For much of this season Pochettino has relied upon Chelsea’s academy to help facilitate sessions given the number of injuries in the Blues’ squad. International breaks have further provided an opportunity for the 51-year-old head coach to become more familiar with members of the development squad and under-18s who have not been called up to international duty in addition to his senior players.
Last week saw the likes of Alfie Gilchrist and Alex Matos join training, while the under-18 trained with the senior side ahead of a friendly fixture. Monday saw a continuation of a youthful influence as the likes of Travis Akomeah and Jimmy-Jay Morgan featured in the session.
The latter has scored three times in 10 appearances for the development side,with the 17-year-old often partnering Ronnie Stutter up front. Akomeah has regular featured in the heart of the under-18s defence, having been part of under-21 squads last term before picking up an injury.
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Sports News
Michael Carrick singles out one Chelsea player following the 6-1 defeat, but the national media disagrees
Chelsea smashed six goals past the Championship team as they booked their spot in next month’s Carabao Cup final.
The Blues trailed 1-0 from the first-leg, but the Premier League side made no mistake in Tuesday’s second-leg.
Chelsea took the lead through a Jonny Howson own-goal, with Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Cole Palmer scoring before the break.
Palmer bagged his second goal of the night to add his side’s fifth as Noni Madueke completed the rout.
After the match, Manchester United legend Carrick spoke glowingly about Palmer, calling him a ‘real talent’ in high praise.
“He is a real talent. Nice lad as well. Down to Earth and you can see when you come up against him he will go on to have a great career. It’s not nice when you are on the end of it but we can appreciate and respect how good he is,” he said via The Mirror.
Mauricio Pochettino echoed Carrick’s sentiment and hailed the 21-year-old’s ability to play anywhere in the forward line.
“He is a player with an amazing talent. It is a player that understands the game. He has the quality and the talent to see the situation and to read the game in another aspect,” he added.
“He can play from the right, striker or in behind the striker. We try to give him freedom because in this type of game he can find the best position to help the team. For me, [the best part] is when he presses and then the intuition to get the ball back.”
Palmer, who joined the Stamford Bridge outfit from Manchester City last summer, has been in brilliant form this season, scoring 11 goals in all competitions.
However, the national media picked out another Chelsea star as Matt Law of The Telegraph wrote about Ben Chilwell’s importance.
“What a difference a left-back makes. This was not just Ben Chilwell’s first start since September, it was the first time he started in his preferred position all season,” he said.
“And how Chelsea have missed him. Wearing the captain’s armband, Chilwell looked like he had never been away and sent a message to Mauricio Pochettino to give up on playing him as a winger.”
Chilwell started his first game for four months as he starred on the left-hand side in Chelsea’s victory over Boro.
The 27-year-old has only managed nine appearances in all competitions this season, having been blighted with injuries.
Sports News
Victor Osimhen breaks silence on his future amid Chelsea and Arsenal striker transfer hunt
The latest Chelsea and Arsenal transfer news as the striker has been linked with a move to the Premier League after impressing for Napoli.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has said that his full concentration is on helping Nigeria go as far as they can in the Africa Cup of Nations amid talk over his future.
Arsenal and Chelsea are among the teams to have been linked with an interest in the 25-year-old. football.london understands that Chelsea wanted to sign Osimhen in the summer , but Napoli’s reluctance to part ways with the player meant that attention was turned to Nicolas Jackson instead.
Mikel Arteta is likely to want to add to his striking options when the summer transfer window opens. Osimhen has been touted as a potential target.
The striker’s contract with Napoli expires in 2025, meaning that the summer could be one of the last chances that Napoli have to get a decent fee for the player if he doesn’t sign a new deal with the club. That has led to speculation that he could be on the move sooner rather than later.
Osimhen is currently on international duty with Nigeria who have secured their place in the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations. It’s while representing his country that he addressed the talk over his future.
“I have to respect my contract,” he told the Guardian. “Whatever happens in the summer everybody will know. For now I am at the Afcon and I am focused on that.”
Osimhem’s goalscoring record for Napoli makes it no surprise that he continues to be linked with a transfer away from the club. Since joining from Lille in the summer of 2020 he has scored 67 times in 119 appearances for the club.
So far this season, he has scored eight times in 18 appearances in all competitions. The striker’s international record is even more impressive with him finding the net 20 times in 27 appearances for Nigeria, including the equaliser in the nation’s 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in their opening AFCON game.
Sports News
Chelsea’s next five fixtures compared to Man United, Tottenham and Aston Villa in top four race
The latest Chelsea news as we take a closer look at the fixtures on the horizon for Mauricio Pochettino’s men as they look to climb the Premier League table.
Chelsea booked their place in the Carabao Cup final on Tuesday night as they came from behind to comfortably beat Championship side Millwall.
Michael Carrick’s side were leading 1-0 after the first leg at the Riverside Stadium, but Chelsea quickly settled any nerves that may have been around in the stands at Stamford Bridge. An early own goal by Jonny Howson was followed by strikes from Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi, and Cole Palmer to put Chelsea 4-0 up on the night at half time.
It got better in the second half as Palmer scored his second of the game before Noni Madueke made it 6-0. Middlesbrough grabbed a consolation through Morgan Rogers in the 88th minute.
After booking their place at Wembley eyes now turn to the upcoming fixtures in both the Cup and the Premier League. Chelsea sit in ninth place in the table, 12 points off a top-four spot, a good run of form could see that gap quickly close before the end of the season.
As well as fixtures ahead of Chelsea, eyes could be on who others around them in the table are taking on. With that in mind football.london has taken a look at the next five fixtures coming up for Chelsea and the other clubs looking towards the top four and the European places.
Aston Villa (H) 26 January (FA Cup)
Liverpool (A) January 31
The most difficult fixture of the run, on paper, with Liverpool currently leading the Premier League table. Jurgen Klopp’s side are four points clear of Man City in second, but Pep Guardiola’s team do have a game in hand.
The reverse fixture back in August finished in a 1-1 draw. Axel Disasi equalised in the first half after Luis Diaz’s opener.
Wolves (H) February 4
Chelsea don’t have long to wait to try and avenge the Boxing Day loss against Wolves. Goals from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty saw the Blues fall to a 2-1 loss with Christopher Nkunku grabbing a 96th-minute goal.
Wolves have been praised for their performances under Gary O’Neil so far this season. They sit in 11th place, three points behind Chelsea in the table.
Crystal Palace (A) February 12
Crystal Palace are a team struggling to find their form with pressure growing on manager Roy Hodgson. They fell to a 5-0 loss against Arsenal in their last outing, leaving them in 15th place in the Premier League table, five points clear of the bottom three.
Noni Madueke’s 89th-minute penalty saw Chelsea come out as 2-1 winners in the reverse fixture on December 27.
Man City (A) February 17
Another difficult game on paper for Chelsea as Man City look to close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the table. The reverse fixture back in November was a memorable one for fans of both clubs as well as neutrals.
Cole Palmer’s 97th-minute penalty saw the game end in a 4-4 draw. Chelsea came from behind on three occasions to take a point.
Manchester United fixtures (current position 8th, 32 points)
Newport County (A) 28 January (FA Cup)
Wolves (A) 1 February
West Ham (H) 4 February
Aston Villa (A) 11 February
Luton Town (A) 18 February
Brighton fixtures (current position 7th, 32 points)
Sheffield United (A) 27 January (FA Cup)
Luton Town (A) 30 January
Crystal Palace (H) 3 February
Tottenham (A) 10 February
Sheffield United (A) 18 February
West Ham fixtures (current position 6th, 35 points)
Bournemouth (H) 1 February
Man United (A) 4 February
Arsenal (H) 11 February
Nottingham Forest (A) 17 February
Brentford (H) 26 February
Tottenham fixtures (current position 5th, 40 points)
Man City (H) 26 January (FA Cup)
Brentford (H) 31 January
Everton (A) 3 February
Brighton (H) 10 February
Wolves (H) 17 February
Aston Villa fixtures (current position 4th, 43 points)
Chelsea (A) 26 January (FA Cup)
Newcastle (H) 30 January
Sheffield United (A) 3 February
Man United (H) 11 February
Fulham (A) 17 February
Michael Carrick singles out one Chelsea player following the 6-1 defeat, but the national media disagrees
Victor Osimhen breaks silence on his future amid Chelsea and Arsenal striker transfer hunt
Chelsea’s next five fixtures compared to Man United, Tottenham and Aston Villa in top four race
Confirmed Chelsea line up vs Newcastle : Palmer, Jackson, Sterling Start as Nkunku seat on the bench
