In classic Chelsea fashion, another victory came with the bittersweet taste of an injury. During the recent match, Ben Chilwell, who was making his return to the starting lineup, had to be substituted off due to an apparent hamstring injury in the final minutes of the game.

Chilwell, who had been on the bench for the past two matches, wore the captain’s armband and played in a wing-back role, a change from his previous attacking duties. However, his return was marred by the injury that forced him off the pitch prematurely. Follow your favourite Premier League team with attractive football betting odds from Nextbet. 

The injury occurred in stoppage time as a result of a tackle, leaving Chilwell on the ground. Unfortunately, the referee did not intervene, and Brighton launched a counterattack. Chelsea managed to hold on for a clean sheet, but Chilwell’s day was cut short. He immediately signaled to the bench for a substitution, but Chelsea had already exhausted all their substitutions, leaving them with 10 players for the remaining minutes of the game. Conor Gallagher filled in at right back, while Marc Cucurella shifted to the left.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed the injury after the match, though the full extent and severity would be determined after a thorough assessment.

“Yes [injury], we need to assess tomorrow but I think it is hamstring.” – Mauricio Pochettino; source: Football.London

While Chelsea has depth in the left-back position with players like Cucurella, Ian Maatsen, and Levi Colwill, another long-term injury to Chilwell would not be an ideal situation, reminiscent of past seasons with injuries to key players like Reece James.

On a more positive note, there have been no reports regarding Nicolas Jackson’s wrist injury, suggesting it may not be significant and should not lead to any missed playing time (though he remains suspended for the next game due to accumulated yellow cards). Get the latest updates from the Premier League only on Nextbet Sports.