HIGHLIGHTS

  • The injury that has kept Thiago Silva out of the game is negatively affecting Chelsea’s leadership and defensive structure.Due to his recurring injuries, Nkunku hasn’t been able to contribute much at Stamford Bridge.Nkunku has had yet another injury, as confirmed by Pochettino.

    Due to injury, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has missed the team’s last two games; also, the Blues have suffered a setback with the addition of Christopher Nkunku to the injured list.

    Even at 39 years old, Silva has played a significant role for Pochettino’s team this season; only Conor Gallagher and Axel Disasi have started as many Premier League games as the Brazilian centre back. Silva was not there for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool this past weekend, and the Blues may have used his defensive experience to assist them win

A header by Virgil van Dijk put the west London team out of contention in extra time, and in the closing minutes of the match, the oldest player on the pitch had the most influence. Chelsea, who are trying to kickstart their season, may use Silva’s leadership when they take on Leeds in the FA Cup on Wednesday and then travel to Brentford on Saturday. Although Nkunku was able to make an appearance for the Blues, he may now be back on the sidelines.

Christopher Nkunku’s injury is updated by Pochettino.
Nkunku sustains a mystery wound

Before Chelsea’s FA Cup match at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino announced that Nkunku had been hurt, though he wasn’t sure when it happened.

 

“We learned about Nkunku’s injuries yesterday. When he was hurt is unknown. We must observe. It might be three or four weeks away at this point. We hope not to hear from them again.”

Nkunku’s progress has been significantly hindered by injuries during his difficult start to life at Chelsea; as a result, he has had little to no influence since moving to Stamford Bridge. It hasn’t worked out that way so far, but the French forward was supposed to be the big-name acquisition this season that would help the Blues bounce back from their poor year.

Christopher Nkunku – Career Stats
Stats PSG RB Leipzig
Appearances 78 178
Goals 11 70
Assists 4 56
Yellow cards 3 17
Red cards 0 0
Correct as of 27/02/2024

Pochettino will be hoping that Nkunku can continue to play at the same level as he did at Leipzig, where his performances earned the Blues a £52 million contract. Given his age, injuries to Silva are to be expected. Pochettino will be hoping the seasoned defender can at least contribute to the team’s preparation when he is occasionally out for the rest of the campaign. Silva is “in partial team training for reconditioning phase,” as the team has stated on its official website.