"They are not available" - Pochettino confirms Chelsea duo will miss match against Aston Villa
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that centre-back Levi Colwill and full-back Reece James won't return from their respective injuries in time for their Premier League game against Aston Villa on April 27, Saturday.
Levi Colwill hasn't played for the Blues since their 2-2 draw against Brentford earlier in March. The Englishman picked up a toe injury in the Blues' victory against Crystal Palace. However, he continued to make himself available, including for the Carabao Cup final defeat at the hands of Liverpool.
Sadly, his injury worsened after the Brentford draw and the 21-year-old has been out of action ever since.
As for Reece James, he's struggled with fitness ever since his arrival in the senior team. Chelsea have also missed their captain who was among their most reliable players.
The 24-year-old went off due to a hamstring injury during the first game of the season. He returned in October last year only to reaggravate the injury. James underwent surgery to fix the underlying issue and returned to training only recently.
While talking about Colwill and James, Pochettino said (via Football London):
"They are not available yet. They are close. They were doing partial training, but they are not available."
The Blues are also missing Enzo Fernandez, and Christopher Nkunku due to injury and they'll likely be away for the remainder of the season. Chelsea have six games remaining in the season.
Chelsea will be hoping to bounce back following humiliating defeat against Arsenal
To say the Blues were handed a beating at the Emirates on Tuesday, would be an understatement. Their 5-0 mauling at the hands of the Gunners was their worst defeat against their London rivals in the 209 games the two teams have played against each other.
Pocheetino's men have also conceded 57 goals this season, breaking their record for the most goals conceded in a Premier League campaign.
Despite creating several chances in their game against Mikel Arteta's men, the Blues were unable to convert. Their lack of finishing was visible as they were also missing their talisman Cole Palmer, who was out due to sickness.
Palmer has been their go-to man for goals this season, as he's netted 25 goals in 42 appearances for the club across competitions. Pochettino also confirmed that the 21-year-old will be a part of the squad in the game against Aston Villa.