Kante injury adds to growing list of Chelsea concerns ahead of West Brom clash
Chelsea face a midfield crisis ahead of next weekend’s clash with West Brom after N’Golo Kante became the latest star to withdraw from international duty.
The £144,000 per week star [spotrac] felt discomfort in his left thigh towards the conclusion of France’s 1-1 draw with Ukraine on Wednesday and he has been sent back to his club side [Chelsea club website].
This compounds a miserable week for the Blues with Jorginho also ruled out of Italy’s fixtures as confirmed by boss Roberto Mancini [as relayed on Italy’s official Twitter account].
Thiago Silva and Tammy Abraham are already on the Chelsea treatment table and the absence of his key midfield duo will surely concern Thomas Tuchel ahead of their clash with West Brom next Saturday.
Tuchel recently dubbed Kante as ‘unbelievable’ after the 29-year-old forced his way into his starting XI after injury [talkSPORT].
The last meeting between the sides ended in a 3-3 draw at The Hawthorns after Albion went 3-0 up before the visitors initiated a stirring second-half comeback.
Baggies could win midfield battle
If Kante and Jorginho are both absent at Stamford Bridge next weekend that should act as a big boost to Sam Allardyce and his charges.
The duo have been first-team fixtures under Tuchel recently and have arguably established themselves as his favoured pairing.
Mateo Kovacic may have something to say about that but he was benched for key fixtures v Liverpool and Leeds before being promoted back into the starting Xi against Atletico Madird and Sheffield United, though Jorginho was suspended for the former while the latter was a cup clash against a managerless, rock-bottom Sheffield United.
No Kante and Jorginho would restrict Chelsea to three central midfielders – Kovacic, Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount.
Gilmour, 19, has made just one fleeting appearance in the Premier League this calendar year while Mount is known more for his attacking prowess.
Blues loanee Conor Gallagher is ineligible for the game but Albion still possess a fearsome duo of Okay Yokuslu and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Yoksulu in particular will be licking his lips at the prospect of being able to dominate a Chelsea midfield shorn of its greatest talents.
In other West Brom news, our view on why Gallagher’s England snub show big club bias.
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