After an opening round 1-1 draw against Liverpool and a shock loss West Ham in GW2, Chelsea will host Premier League new boys Luton Town on Friday evening. The West Londoners will be firm favourites when the two sides lock horns at Stamford Bridge and Mauricio Pochettino will be expecting his first league win as CFC manager.
The Blues dominated West Ham in almost all aspects of the game but not where it counted the most- the scoreboard. They were better on xG, had more than 75% of possession, made more than three times the number of passes that West Ham did, but it all amounted to nothing as they crashed to a 3-1 defeat.
They will want to put that right against the Hatters – but their injury problems have been compounded further, with Mykhailo Mudryk the latest player to ruled out of Friday’s match.
The Ukrainian winger will miss out with what has been described by Pochettino as a “minor injury” and joins Carney Chukwuemeka on the sidelines following last Sunday’s loss to West Ham.
Chukwuemeka underwent surgery this week for the problem he picked up shortly after scoring his first professional goal in the 3-1 defeat to the Hammers but Pochettino said he hoped the 19-year-old would miss weeks rather than months.
Wesley Fofana and summer signing Christopher Nkunku are long-term absentees and new signing from Southampton Romeo Lavia has also been ruled out for the visit of the Hatters to Stamford Bridge as he gets up to speed with his fitness.
However, record signing Moises Caciedo is in line to start against the Premier League new boys following his £115m move from Brighton.
“It is a shame for him (Mudryk), but it will only be a few days and is a minor problem,” Pochettino said.
“It is a disappointment because for him to play 45 minutes against West Ham as he is a player we hope can start performing for us, but it is not a major problems.”
Pochettino said the injury suffered by Chukwuemeka is a huge blow for the former Aston Villa youngster. who was so impressive at the London Stadium.
“We will see, but it does not seem that big a problem but hopefully it will be weeks not months,” he said.
“He scored and then got the injury but that is football, he was unlucky.
“But he is young and he will be a much better player for it.”