Chelsea will be licking their lips given the news that Rafa Benitez has three key players out with injuries for their upcoming match.
Chelsea will welcome the Magpies today where manager Rafa Benitez will make an emotional return to Stamford Bridge after serving as the caretaker manager in 2012/13 guiding Chelsea to the Europa Cup.
And the Newcastle boss has revealed that he has three key players out for the game.
Benitez revealed that captain Jamaal Lascelles, full-back Paul Dummett and former Chelsea winger Christian Atsu won’t make the squad due to injury.
“I had a conversation with Atsu and Laschelles and Dummett and still they are not involved but very close. The rest are the same we had.”
The absence of club captain Lascelles is a big miss for the Magpies after several commanding performances this season. Additionally, Dummett and Atsu are both excellent players on the wing for Newcastle and will be sorely missed.
Chelsea will be particularly happy that former player Atsu will not be involved as if he scored against them at Stamford Bridge there could have been more questions asked of the board due to their controversial sales of several young players this season.
Chelsea sold Nathan Ake, loaned out Ruben Loftus Cheek, and sold Nathaniel Chalobah. Atsu was also sold for a paltry £6m and has been performing well for Newcastle and has bagged a goal and an assist so far this season.
Chelsea will be thankful that they have a mostly full-strength team with only David Luiz and youngsters Kenedy and Charly Musonda injured.
