Chelsea have a number of injury doubts for Saturdays Premier League match against Newcastle, including a couple of key midfielders.
Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante are both doubts for the match and will likely undergo late fitness tests to decide their involvements in the match.
Both injuries are only minor though, according to Simon Johnson of The Athletic.
#Christensen has had a scan on a hamstring injury and is unlikely to feature. #Kante is doubtful too – has minor groin problem. #Kovacic suffered minor leg injury playing for Croatia but hope is he will be okay. #Emerson set to return for #cfc against Ajax next week.
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) October 16, 2019
Johnson also states that defender Andreas Christensen is unlikely to feature, and Antonio Rudiger is not yet match fit and needs more development matches before returning to the first team fold.
some #cfc team news ahead of #nufc. @TheAthleticUK understands #Rudiger won't feature. He is fit again but club want to work on match fitness before he returns as he has missed so much football since April. Likely to play in development squad games coming up…
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) October 16, 2019
If neither Kante or Kovacic make the squad, then Scotland under-21 international Billy Gilmour is in line for another call up to the first team and depending on how Frank Lampard wants to line up, might even be handed a start.
The 18-year old is the only other midfielder suited to playing in that deeper role should Lampard wish to use that formation.
