Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea will endeavour to bring 2023 to a close on a high note when they head to Luton Town's Kenilworth Road base for a Saturday lunchtime Premier League contest.
The Blues left it late to get the better of London rivals Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, scraping a 2-1 victory thanks to a Mykhaylo Mudryk tap-in and Noni Madueke penalty either side of a Michael Olise equaliser.
Chelsea's third Premier League home success in a row propelled the Blues up to 10th in the top-flight table, although Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers are only behind on goal difference.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up Chelsea's latest injury and suspension news ahead of their clash with Luton, who benefitted from two own goals in a dramatic 3-2 beating of Sheffield United on Boxing Day.
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Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Thigh
Possible return date: December 30 (vs. Luton)
After making a full recovery from an ankle injury, Romeo Lavia made his delayed Chelsea debut off the bench on Wednesday evening. However, Pochettino confirmed after the game that he was concerned about some "issues" the Belgian had reported, and it remains to be seen if they will impact his participation at the weekend.
Mykhaylo Mudryk
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Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Knock
Possible return date: December 30 (vs. Luton)
Similarly, Pochettino revealed in his pre-game press conference that Mykhaylo Mudryk had suffered a knock against Palace, plunging his participation in Saturday's game into doubt.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Hernia
Possible return date: Unknown
Enzo Fernandez was withdrawn in Chelsea's EFL Cup success over Newcastle United on December 19 with a hernia, and having missed the win over Palace, he is not believed to have a chance of making his comeback at Kenilworth Road.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Hamstring
Possible return date: Unknown
Ben Chilwell remains on the long road to rehabilitation from a nasty hamstring problem, but there is hope that he will be able to take to the field again in the early weeks of the New Year.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: Unknown
The hapless Wesley Fofana underwent ACL reconstruction surgery over the summer, and he is facing a race against time to be fit before Chelsea's 2023-24 campaign draws to a close.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Thigh
Possible return date: Unknown
Trevoh Chalobah has not played a single game for the Blues so far this term due to a troublesome thigh injury, and there is still no indication when the defender might be at Pochettino's disposal again.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: Unknown
Likewise, Carney Chukwuemeka's return from the knee injury he picked up in October has been delayed by some complications, and he will not be seen in the blue strip again until some point in 2024.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Hamstring
Possible return date: Unknown
Lesley Ugochukwu had only just made his return from one hamstring problem before suffering a suspected recurrence against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Christmas Eve, and the 19-year-old is not expected to be available for the trip to Luton.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Hamstring
Possible return date: March 30 (vs. Burnley)
Injury-plagued captain Reece James went under the knife to treat yet another hamstring problem earlier this month, and even if his recovery goes to plan, he is unlikely to be seen on the field again until the end of March.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: January 31 (vs. Liverpool)
First-choice goalkeeper Robert Sanchez came off with a knee injury against Everton on December 10, and it will be a number of weeks before the Spaniard is ready to protect the posts again.
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Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Marc Cucurella was another casualty of that Goodison Park defeat with a serious ankle issue, and the left-back will spent at least another couple of months in the treatment room.
CHELSEA'S SUSPENSION LIST
Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer will both return from suspensions served in the beating of Palace on Wednesday, so Chelsea have no players banned for Saturday's match.
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