Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has confirmed he can do without NINE key team members for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Everton at Stamford Bridge.
In the latest blow to the English manager, the teenager Callum Hudson-Odoi suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury during his first full training session with the first Chelsea team.
And Lampard estimates that Chelsea’s glut of injuries is the worst among the best Premier League teams, with Mateo Kovacic out of Sunday’s shock with an Achilles problem.
Brazilian striker Willian will face a late fitness test on his own Achilles problem, while Lampard has revealed that Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic played in an “internal game” at Chelsea training ground Friday.
Jorginho begins a two-game league suspension while N’Golo Kante is still with an adductor problem, Andreas Christensen remains doubtful and Tammy Abraham is out with his ankle complaint.
“It’s difficult, he wasn’t rushed, and we all had signs that he was fit to train,” said Lampard, of Hudson-Odoi. “Then he re-injured him during his first training session with us.
“So it’s definitely frustrating for him, a young boy who likes to play as you would expect. And it’s frustrating because it’s another injury for us.
“We didn’t talk about it much, but we probably had the worst list of injuries in the leading group, I think, a lot of injuries, important players injured, Kante, Loftus-Cheek, etc.
“We started the season that way and it happened again in the middle of the season. And we are working against that to try to get the best results. “
talkSPORT.com has listed the rest of the best excerpts from Lampard’s press conference below …
On the progression of injuries from Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek
“We just played an internal match here, in which Ruben and Christian Pulisic participated.
“It was great to see Christian get a few minutes, he’s still short of match physical fitness, but it’s the first time the injury has risen to a level to put him on a big field in a relatively competitive game, so this is a big step forward, hopefully.
“I’ll see how it went later, but I just watched it. And Ruben himself played half of this match and is trying to find the physical form of the match. He’s running out of this, and Ruben says he and I can see it.
“So there is work to be done with Ruben.”
On display at Gilmour in Liverpool
“He appreciated it, but he is a determined boy, intelligent and understands that the hard work begins now.”
On the effect of coronavirus on preparation
“It wouldn’t change the preparation. Obviously, it would change the atmosphere, but we’ll have to see. There are some things that are more important.
“We are not shaking hands. The protocol followed by the doctors and doing everything we can do.”
On what reception the former manager and boss of Everton Carlo Ancelotti will receive
“A very good one. Very well respected internally and by fans. He’s a gentleman, a fantastic manager. It was a good season under him.
“A great man manager. On a personal level, excellent for building relationships. Good tactics and great manner.
“I stayed in touch with him from time to time.”