Graham Potter bemoans Chelsea injury crisis after triple blow for Man City clash
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‘It never rains but it pours’: Chelsea suffer TRIPLE injury blow as Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic forced to retire in first half against Man City after Mason Mount was ruled out
- Boss Graham Potter has again expressed his frustration over Chelsea’s injury crisis
- Mason Mount was ruled out of Thursday night’s game against Manchester City
- Key defender Reece James limped off on his return from injury on December 27.
- Raheem Sterling then suffered an apparent hamstring strain in five minutes
- And American winger Christian Pulisic was taken off the pitch after 22 minutes.
Chelsea’s injury problems worsened on Thursday night when they suffered an attacking triple whammy with Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic limping off in the first half against Manchester City after Mason Mount was ruled out for the clash late on.
Chelsea now have nine veteran players injured, and the trio join defenders Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Ben Chilwell, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, midfielder N’Golo Kante and striker Armando Broja on the sidelines.
Manager Graham Potter lamented the club’s injury crisis ahead of City’s clash at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, before Sterling was substituted early on with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, followed by Pulisic soon after.
T Raheem Sterling left after five minutes against Man City with a hamstring injury
And US winger Pulisic (left) followed Sterling as he was withdrawn shortly after.
He said: ‘He had a kick in training yesterday (Wednesday). It never rains but it pours, as they say. Happy New Year.
‘Stability helps you improve. Since the last game at Bournemouth we have lost (Reece) James and Mount from the starting XI. That is the challenge we have faced since we have been here. It is an opportunity for other players. We are looking forward to that.
‘That’s the life you have as a football manager. That affects your consistency. It would be nice to field 11 players for each game. But when you play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, that’s not going to happen. You have to adapt.
Graham Potter lamented Chelsea’s injury crisis after key midfielder Mason Mount (pictured) was ruled out of their crucial Premier League clash with Manchester City on Thursday night.
Blues manager Potter (left) said ‘it never rains, but it pours’ in a frustrated pre-match interview.
Influential defender Reece James (right) limped off on his return from injury on December 27.
Chelsea have only won one of their last eight league games, a 2-0 win against promoted Bournemouth on December 27, with that result their only three league points since October 16.
Influential right-back James limped off before the hour on his return from injury against Bournemouth on 27 December.
Mendy and Broja are typically backup options, but James, Fofana, Chilwell, Kante, Mount, and now Sterling mark six regular starting options for Potter that aren’t currently available.