Liam Rosenior confirms Marc Cucurella hamstring injury but Cole Palmer and Reece James are fit for Chelsea vs Burnley
Chelsea head into Saturday’s clash with Burnley looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League but they will do so without Marc Cucurella.
Liam Rosenior, who has overseen an impressive turnaround since taking charge on January 10, confirmed the Spanish left-back suffered a hamstring injury during the 2-2 draw at home to Leeds last time out.
The Blues have won four and drawn one of their five league matches under Rosenior, and will be targeting another three points against 18th-placed Burnley.
Providing an update on Cucurella, Rosenior admitted the setback is a significant one.
“Again, I can’t give an exact time frame on Marc. He’s suffered a hamstring injury. He suffered it before half-time in the Leeds game,” he said.
“For me, it’s a real shame, because he’s an outstanding player. He’s one of the best left-backs in the world.”
Cucurella sidelined, but options available
While Rosenior could not put a clear timeline on Cucurella’s recovery, he expressed confidence in the depth of his squad to cope in the short term.
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“But we have Jorrel [Hato], we have Malo [Gusto], who can play on that side. We’ve got really, really good players that can cover. The sooner he gets back, the better.”
The injury forces a reshuffle at the back as Chelsea prepare for a crucial run of fixtures, with European qualification very much in their sights. Rosenior’s side have shown renewed attacking fluency and resilience in recent weeks, but defensive stability will be tested without their first-choice left-back.
Cole Palmer and Reece James
There was more encouraging news regarding Cole Palmer and Reece James, both of whom have dealt with fitness concerns at various points this season.
“I presume they’re available. I’ve been asked that question a few times since I’ve been in. It’s a really hypothetical question. It’s based on day-by-day. Not just those two players, how each player feels,” Rosenior explained.
“At the moment, they’re both fully fit. They’re both available for selection. They’ve both trained really, really well today. With those two players on your team, it makes you a really, really strong team.”
With Palmer’s creativity and James’ leadership potentially key, Chelsea will expect to assert themselves against a Burnley side fighting for survival.
Rosenior will hope his in-form squad can bounce back immediately, and continue their upward trajectory in the table.