Chelsea injury updates as five players look to make Premier League return against title-chasing Arsenal

Chelsea fans were treated to a renewed sense of optimism at Turf Moor heading into the international break as they claimed their biggest victory in the league for over a year. The Blues were hit with an early setback in the game when Wilson Odobert opened the scoring for Burnley, but second half strikes from Cole Palmer, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson allowed Chelsea to secure a 4-1 victory in Lancashire.

The victory marks the first time that Chelsea has scored four goals in a Premier League game since April 2022 as the London outfit climb to 11th in the league table. Chelsea have been hit with a number of injuries in the early stages of the season and the international break gives them a huge chance of getting some big hitters back in training ahead of the mouth-watering London derby against Arsenal.

However, there was one major cause for concern at the end of the Burnley game as goalscorer Cole Palmer left the field with an apparent hamstring injury. With that in mind we round up all of the latest injury news from Stamford Bridge as they prepare to play host to Arsenal.

Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer has shown huge signs of promise at Chelsea since his late arrival from Manchester City and he registered a goal and an assist during the victory against Burnley.

However, he was forced off the pitch in the closing moments of the match with an apparent hamstring injury. Palmer is quickly emerging as an important player for Chelsea and fans will hope that the injury is nothing more than a precaution.

Potential return date: 21 October vs Arsenal

Reece James

Reece James was a vital member of the Chelsea team which lifted the Champions League but he has been hit by injury problems in recent months. The new club captain was ruled out of the game against Burnley but he is expected to return to light training during the international break.

Potential return date: 21 October vs Arsenal

Mykhailo Mudryk

Mykhailo Mudryk showed signs of promise in Chelsea’s recent 2-0 win over Fulham, but was not risked in the starting lineup for the game against Burnley due to a minor quad injury. The Ukrainian was given 10 minutes of action from the subs bench at the end of the game and he should be back in contention for a starting spot against Arsenal.

Commenting on the situation, before the Burnley game Pochettino said: “He is fully recovered now but we felt we shouldn’t take a risk with him, so he starts on the bench with the potential to come on and make an impact for us.”

Potential return date: 21 October vs Arsenal

Ben Chilwell

Ben Chilwell is another member of Chelsea’s Champions League winning team who has struggled for fitness in recent months. The ex-Leicester man was forced off for Chelsea during their Carabao Cup win over Brighton and an exact timeframe on his return has not yet been determined.

Pochettino said: “It is difficult. I am no doctor and I cannot tell you what you are asking me. I think it is about judging day by day and we cannot say the period he will be out.”

Potential return date: Late October/ early November

Wesley Fofana

Another ex-Leicester City man who has struggled with injuries is Wesley Fofana. The Frenchman was tipped to be a Blues star for years to come when he arrived from Leicester last summer for a fee of over £70m but has made just 15 appearances so far. The 22-year-old is currently missing with a severe ACL problem which will rule him out for most of the season.

Potential return date: April 2024

Christophe Nkunku

Fellow French international Christophe Nkunku is another Chelsea star who has spent an unfortunate amount of time on the sidelines due to injury.

The former RB Leipzig man arrived with huge expectations after a series of outstanding performances in the Bundesliga. He is yet to play a minute for Chelsea but could provide them with a huge mid-season boost when he returns to action.

Potential return date: January 2024

Benoit Badiashile

Benoit Badiashile was one of Chelsea’s better performers during a dismal second half of the season last term. But he is yet to feature in the league due to injury. The Frenchman could emerge as a key player in the next few months as he aims to take the starting spot from veteran defender Thiago Silva.

Potential return date: 21 October vs Arsenal

Trevoh Chalobah

Versatile defender Trevoh Chalobah is yet to kick a ball this season. But he is expected to resume training over the next few weeks ahead of the Arsenal encounter.

Potential return date: 21 October vs Arsenal

Romeo Lavia

Just days after the signing of Moises Caicedo, Chelsea also hijacked Liverpool’s efforts to sign Southampton prodigy Romeo Lavia. The Belgian is tipped to be a huge star in years to come but he too will have to be patient for his debut due to injury.

Pochettino admitted that the player is still a long way from full fitness. When asked on his return date, he said: “I cannot tell you but he is still not running. After the international break, he will not be back.”

Potential return date: Late November