Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante ruled out of Crystal Palace clash
According to the Express, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has ruled out both N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic for the clash against Crystal Palace.
This will come as a blow for the Blues who cannot afford to drop any more points. With Manchester Untied right on our tails, the race for the top four could be settled by the slightest of margins.
“Kante won’t be in the squad.”
The hamstring injury is just the latest setback for Kante. He has made just 27 starts so far this season. Our best midfielder when in form, his absence will be a setback in the final run-in. He is expected to be out for around a week.
Kovacic, on the other hand, is nursing an ankle injury sustained in the setback against West Ham United. Lampard said:
“Kovacic trained with us today but not ready for this game. Hopefully the next.”
Another player who will miss the game is defender Fikayo Tomori. The centre-back has also missed the last few games due to injury.
Kante might also miss the match against Sheffield United. This could open the door for Jorginho to return to the line-up.
The Italian is yet to feature for the Blues since the restart. Speaking on the issue, Lampard praised the midfielder’s professionalism. However, he was coy on whether Jorginho will feature.
“I don’t want to go into details of why I pick a team – they are just my choices.”
Lampard expects Kovacic to be available for the trip to Bramall Lane next weekend while Tomori could also be included in the matchday squad. It remains to be seen if the 22-year-old will regain his spot in the starting XI
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Chelsea also face Manchester United in the semifinals of the FA Cup. Ending the season with a trophy would be remarkable.