Chelsea Vs Crystal Palace Team And Injury News: One Doubt And Eight Ruled Out

Chelsea have been hit with a slew of injuries in the past few weeks. Several key players are set to miss significant portions of the season – will any of them be back for the Blues’ game against Crystal Palace?

In total, Chelsea are expected to miss out on the services of nine first team players on Sunday. With another testing fixture against the Eagles coming up this weekend, will Graham Potter’s men stand up and be counted?

Additionally, a couple of new names have been added to the injury list in the past few weeks. Let’s take a look at Chelsea’s extensive injury list and when they’re set to make their return:

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling is the most recent addition to the treatment table. He was brought off after five minutes against Manchester City on January 5th with a suspected hamstring injury.

A report from the Evening Standard states that Sterling did indeed injure his hamstring against the Citizens. Not only this, but they also say that he will be out of action for ‘a few weeks’.

Reece James

Reece James, one of Chelsea’s star academy products, reinjured his knee during the 2-0 win over Bournemouth on December 27th

James could now be looking at a return in early February. His pace down the right flank and his defensive versatility have made him a massive loss for the Blues.

Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic is another player who has been ruled out recently. He, too, was brought off in Chelsea’s 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City.

He suffered a knee injury and could be out of action for around two months. As such, Chelsea brought in Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid to help fill the gaps.

Wesley Fofana

Wesley Fofana was purchased in the summer by Chelsea for a reported £70 million. Unfortunately, injuries have limited his Premier League game time this season to just four appearances.

Currently, the young defender is suffering from a knee injury. Regardless, he is expected to be fit and ready to play again before the end of January.

Ben Chilwell

Ben Chilwell, one of Chelsea’s most valuable defenders, has been out of action since the beginning of November with a hamstring injury. As such, he also missed out on England’s squad for the 2022 World Cup.

While he is thought to be getting closer to a return, there is still no timeframe given for when he could make his comeback.

Armando Broja

Armando Broja is expected to be out for the remainder of the season, following a particularly nasty knee injury. He underwent an operation a few weeks ago to deal with the issue and is currently in recovery.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Ruben Loftus-Cheek was forced off with a thigh injury in a game against Newcastle United in November. He’s still confirmed to be out and will definitely miss the game against Fulham.

He is, however, making progress on the injury according to Graham Potter. When asked on the status of Loftus-Cheek’s injury, he said: “Ruben is getting closer.”

Edouard Mendy

Edouard Mendy is currently recovering from surgery to help fix a fractured finger. As such, he will need to recover for an undetermined amount of time before returning to action.

Mendy signed for Chelsea back in 2020 for a reported £22 million. He’s had an eclectic time at Stamford Bridge, but has held onto his spot as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper for now.

N’Golo Kante

N’Golo Kante was once regarded as one of the world’s premier midfielders – but he’s fallen out of the spotlight recently due to injuries. Despite this, he could be on course for a return in February.

Potter revealed that Kante had been undergoing light training to help get him back to fitness. However, he also added that he has a ‘long, long way to go’ before being fully fit.