Chelsea star surprisingly left out of Southampton clash by Graham Potter - Reports
Chelsea right-back Reece James has surprisingly not been included in Graham Potter's squad for the Premier League clash with Southampton on Saturday (February 18). The English defender has just returned from a second long-term knee injury.
James has featured in the Blues' last three games, two draws in the league and a defeat in the UEFA Champions League to Borussia Dortmund. In a season plagued by injuries, his omission will concern fans.
However, the Athletic reports that Potter's decision is a precautionary one as Chelsea look to manage the full-back's minutes. James has already played more minutes than originally planned on his return to fitness.
James played the entirety of the 1-1 draw with West Ham United on Saturday (February 11) and the 1-0 defeat to Dortmund on Wednesday (February 15). He first sustained a knee injury in a 2-0 win over AC Milan in October.
He briefly returned in a 2-0 win over Bournemouth on December 27. However, he suffered a setback, picking up another knock to his knee. The young right-back missed England's 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign in Qatar due to his second injury.
Reece James believes Chelsea will get better over time. https://t.co/8dYR2zyNLQ
The Chelsea defender has been a standout performer for his club in what has been a disappointing season. The Blues are tenth in the league, trailing fourth-placed Newcastle United by ten points. James has made 15 appearances across competitions, scoring twice and providing as many assists.
The Blues are hopeful that resting James will allow him to feature in their key London clash with rivals Tottenham Hotspur on February 26. They also have the uphill task of overcoming Dortmund in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last 16 tie on March 7.
Chelsea's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left out of squad despite Potter claiming he's an important player
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has endured a miserable spell at Stamford Bridge since arriving from Barcelona last summer for £10.8 million. The Gabonese striker has scored just thrice in 18 games across competitions.
Speculation has grown over the forward's future, with SPORT reporting that he's keen on a return to Barcelona. However, the Blaugrana have other priorities in mind. Meanwhile, a move to Los Angeles FC has also been touted.
Nevertheless, Potter insisted before the game against Southampton that Aubameyang is an important player for the side:
"Pierre remains an important part of this squad; nothing is set in stone; his attitude has been really good."
🗣️ “Pierre’s in our squad. He remains an important player for us. He’s worked hard and he knows the situation at the moment. Nothing is set in stone. His attitude has been really good.”
Graham Potter on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. 🇬🇦 https://t.co/OsjMDbtNM1
However, according to the Mirror, Aubameyang has been left out of Chelsea's squad for the Southampton game. That comes after he was also withdrawn from the Blues' squad for the UEFA Champions League knockout campaign.