Chelsea FC striker Nicolas Jackson will not be with his club when they begin their FA Cup campaign, at home, against Preston North End on Saturday. Jackson is jetting off to join the rest of his Senegal teammates, as they look to defend their Africa Cup of Nations crown. Elsewhere, Romeo Lavia finally made his Chelsea debut against Crystal Palace, as he had been recovering from an ankle injury that suffered on the training ground back in the summer.
However, he has since suffered a knock, rendering him unavailable against Luton Town. Will Lavia be available against Preston?
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Chelsea FC vs Preston
Kick: Sat. Jan. 6, 2024, 5:30pm, Stamford Bridge, London, UK
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Hard to say, but it looks 50/50 at this point. Chelsea needs to start getting some ROI out of that Lavia purchase, and soon. There is much better news with Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk, both of whom has returned to full match fitness.
Defender Ben Chilwell might soon join them, as he’s nearing full fitness. However, this match might come too soon for the Englishman.
Finally, you have the list on long-term Chelsea injury absentees.
It’s gotten a lot shorter, but it’s still pretty substantial, and it current consists of: Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka, Wesley Fofana, Reece James and Marc Cucurella.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.