Pulisic out ‘weeks’, Sterling injury still being analyzed in Chelsea injury crisis

Chelsea’s ongoing injury crisis took another terrible turn on Thursday, as attackers Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic were each subbed off early in the first half.

Both players joined Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in missing Sunday’s FA Cup beatdown at the hands of Manchester City, and Graham Potter’s issued an update on their statuses.

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“Christian opened up his knee in the game the other day,” Potter said, via Football.London. “We’re still sort of analyzing it but it’s going to be weeks I would say for him. Raheem had an action in the first minute of the game, a back heel that was a bit strange, and felt something in his hamstring. Again we’re analyzing that. Aubamayang had a tight back yesterday so was unable to travel.”

Sterling was injured first, subbed off in just the 5th minute after suffering an apparent leg injury in the opening moments. Prior to the start of Chelsea vs Manchester City, the Blues had just one injury to an attacking player, Armando Broja.

Pulisic’s injury occurred in the 16th minute, during a bright attacking moment for Chelsea. Marc Cucurella won the ball back high up the field and found Kai Havertz with a pass to the top of the penalty area. Havertz slipped the ball past a defender and into Pulisic’s path roughly nine yards from goal. Pulisic tried to shoot first-time, but John Stones came sliding in from Pulisic’s right to block the shot before making contact with his knee on the follow-through.

Sterling and Pulisic join N’Golo Kante (thigh – hasn’t played since Aug. 14), Reece James (knee – injured again in the first game after the World Cup, after missing the World Cup due to injury), Wesley Fofana (knee – just two PL appearances since signing from Leicester – hasn’t played since Oct. 5), Edouard Mendy (shoulder – out since the World Cup) and Broja (knee – injured during the World Cup break) on the Blues’ injured list, which is chock full of key players from every part of the field. Mason Mount also missed Thursday’s game after picking up a knock in training this week.

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Chelsea (10th place) sat 10 points back of 4th-place Manchester United when Thursday’s game began.

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Pulisic out ‘weeks’, Sterling injury still being analyzed in Chelsea injury crisis originally appeared on NBCSports.com