Chelsea boss confirms another injury blow ahead of Newcastle United League Cup game

Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was forced off against Everton and there are fears he could be out till 2024 in yet another blow to manager Mauricio Pochettino's plans this season.

The £25million summer signing has been the club's first-choice goalkeeper since swapping Brighton for London and the latest setback leaves Pochettino with no choice but to start Djordje Petrovic who made his first Chelsea start in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United.

Asked when he expected Sanchez to return, the Chelsea manager said: “It is an injury that’s going to be for a few weeks, I don’t know if two, three, four, five or six.

"We will assess day-by-day to know how to follow it. His recovery will depend on him and the reaction of his knee and it is difficult to say in two or three weeks but we hope [he is back] as soon as possible."

The Blues will also be without captain Reece James who picked up his seventh hamstring injury in the last 24 months at Goodison. Spanish Left-back Marc Cucurella has also already had surgery on his ankle and is not expected back till next year. 

Chelsea and James have not entirely ruled out surgery- but Pochettino said that the final decision wasn't yet made. He added: "At the moment no. We don't know. Today is Monday, still time to see. We will see in the next few days and we will know the possibilities." 

The two-time Champions League winners last won a League Cup in 2015 and ironically, Pochettino was the opposing manager that day. He will hope to get past Newcastle today and possibly go all the way to win it.