Chelsea have been dealt one other main harm blow with first alternative striker Nicolas Jackson dominated out till April, talkSPORT understands.
The 23-year-old Senegal striker will probably be sidelined till after the March worldwide break with a hamstring harm.
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Jackson underwent a scan on Wednesday which has confirmed the striker will probably be dominated out till April.
He joins Marc Guiu on the harm record for Chelsea’s forwards, leaving a query mark hanging over Enzo Maresca’s squad choice.
Jackson was out for Chelsea of their 2-1 defeat to Brighton within the FA Cup final weekend, although Maresca opted for French ahead Christopher Nkunku up high.
Chelsea failed to seek out the web themselves, with their solely purpose coming from Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen within the defeat, however the loss got here amidst a scoring hunch for Maresca’s facet.
Jackson will probably be a giant miss for the Blues, having scored 9 targets and assisted 5 within the Premier League to date this season.
Nevertheless, it is understood Chelsea are relaxed on the state of affairs regardless of the striker scarcity with the Blues boasting a large taking part in squad.
Their remaining ahead choices embrace Nkunku, who confirmed glimpses of his potential expertise at Leipzig earlier than transferring to Chelsea, in addition to wingers Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto.
Cole Palmer has even been poised to tackle a brand new function underneath the injury-hit Blues.
Maresca hinted at Palmer’s potential change: “We have now gamers. Christo [Nkunku] has performed already as a 9. I had Cole [Palmer] taking part in as a 9 prior to now [in Manchester City’s youth set-up]” he defined.
By the way, Chelsea go to Brighton once more on Friday evening within the top-flight as they may look to avenge the 2-1 Cup defeat.
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Maresca initially didn’t see Jackson’s harm as a significant one after he got here off in the course of the West Ham recreation, however while on worldwide break it has grow to be clear that it was greater.
After the FA Cup loss, Maresca mentioned: “As I mentioned just a few days in the past, it is not a giant harm however he wants some days off and hopefully for the following recreation he may be obtainable.
Teen Guiu had come off the bench to switch Jackson, however quickly fell injured himself in an try to latch onto a move.
“Marc Guiu, sadly, it’s a foul harm. [It] might be [long-term]. We’re nonetheless ready nevertheless it doesn’t look a brief harm. It’s a protracted harm. Most likely weeks or months” Maresca mentioned.
Chelsea ought to head to the south coast in full confidence, having misplaced simply one in every of their seven Premier League away matches to the Seagulls.
The Blues then journey to Aston Villa the next week seeking to meet up with third place Nottingham Forest.