Mauricio Pochettino provides injury update on 2 key Chelsea stars ahead of Burnley fixture
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has provided an update on the fitness of two key players ahead of their upcoming Premier League encounter against Burnley.
The Argentine boss has confirmed that both Mykhailo Mudryk and Moises Caicedo are in the squad for the fixture and will be available for selection. However, he admitted he is unsure of whether the Chelsea duo will feature in the starting XI this weekend and will have to consult the medical staff.
When asked whether Caicedo and Mudryk will be in the squad for Burnley, Pochettino said in a pre-match press conference (as quoted by Football.London):
"Yes, both in the squad, we will decide later whether they have a chance for the start. It was close last week to join us. This week has trained well, I still have not decided, I need to check with Jesus and the medical staff as I'm straight from the training pitch and 30 minutes late, I am sorry for that."
Both Caicedo and Mudryk picked up their respective injuries in Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Fulham on Monday night (October 2), their second win of the season. The Ukrainian, who scored his first goal for the club in that match, was unfortunately withdrawn at half-time after an issue with his quad.
The Ecuadorian midfielder suffered a knock to his knee, and although he played the entire 90 minutes and was not visibly in pain, Pochettino revealed that it was a contusion.
Mauricio Pochettino reacts to Chelsea star's first goal for the club
Following their win over Fulham, Pochettino lavished praise on Chelsea's goalscorers, Mudryk and Armando Broja. The Ukrainian winger slotted the ball past the goalkeeper after receiving Levi Colwill's cross from the left flank in impressive fashion, scoring his first goal for the club.
The Blues signed Mudryk in the January transfer window from FC Shakhtar Donetsk for £88.5 million. The Ukraine international came under massive criticism for his performances at the club as his goal drought continued until the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
Pochettino has defended the winger amid such criticism, insisting that he must be given time to settle into life at Chelsea. The former Tottenham Hotspur manager said after the match (via GOAL):
"For Mischa, he scored his first goal in the Premier League, and for Armando after a long period out he scored again. I’m so happy for them, they deserve it. We need to understand that young people need time and need to settle. It’s about adaptation."
"It’s a big change when Mudryk arrived here and when you arrive at a team, it’s not easy to settle in a team that isn’t solid. He wasn’t the cherry on the cake, they needed to add something to the team," he added.