Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that the club could receive a quadruple injury boost ahead of Sunday’s Premier League encounter against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Stars Returning from Injury
Pochettino’s press conference shed light on the potential return of Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Noni Madueke, and Armando Broja. Caicedo, despite some doubts, has been training individually and could play a pivotal role against Villa, depending on his assessment on Saturday.
Pochettino shared,
“We need to recover players…We need to assess Moi tomorrow. He was training individually, not with the team today. We need to assess tomorrow [Saturday] and we will see if he can be involved on Sunday.”
Marc Cucurella, who faced a bout of fever, is back in training, and Noni Madueke is also making progress. While Armando Broja’s involvement might require a bit more time, his potential return could provide a crucial attacking option for Chelsea.
Chelsea has been plagued by injuries in the early stages of this season, with key players like Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, and Benoit Badiashile sidelined. The return of the quartet could provide a much-needed boost. Especially as Chelsea strives to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
Caicedo and Madueke emerge as strong contenders to start against Villa, while Cucurella and Broja might be utilized as impact substitutes.
Chelsea’s Goal Drought
Chelsea’s woes extend beyond injuries; their inability to find the back of the net has been a glaring issue this season. With just five goals in five Premier League games, they find themselves struggling in the attacking department. Sharing the same tally as Sheffield United as well as failing to score in their previous two games.
Pochettino is likely to consider deploying a 4-3-3 formation against Villa. Possibly including Cole Palmer in the starting lineup and Levi Colwill replacing Thiago Silva in defense. With Villa’s defense conceding goals, Pochettino will demand an improved offensive performance from his side.
While Chelsea has struggled to score, three forwards who were deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge have made an impact elsewhere. Joao Felix, Romelu Lukaku, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all found the net in European competitions. Leaving Chelsea fans wondering if they let go of firepower too soon.
In particular, Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who were deemed surplus to requirements and sold during the summer, have been finding the net for their new clubs. Joao Felix, another former loanee, also showcased his scoring prowess for new club, Barcelona. Chelsea’s inability to find consistent goal-scorers has left fans longing for the impact of these former stars.
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