Chelsea's injury list has been reduced to just five players as Kai Havertz prepares to return to the squad. After a brief absence due to a minor knee injury, the 23-year-old striker will compete with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a starting spot in Tuesday night's game against Arsenal under manager Frank Lampard.
Reece James, Mason Mount, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella and Armando Broja will not be available for the upcoming London Derby at Emirates Stadium.
Unfortunately, Reece James will miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury he sustained against Real Madrid two weeks ago.
Mason Mount could also miss the final six games when he decides to have surgery because of a nagging abdominal problem. Todd Boehly's decision to re-appoint Frank Lampard as Chelsea manager is under scrutiny every week. The team's losing streak has now stretched to a worrying five games following a 0-2 loss to west London rivals Brentford at Stamford Bridge.
Crystal Palace have moved past their London rivals in the rankings following a thrilling 4-3 win over West Ham on Saturday. As a result, Chelsea are now just 10 points away from the relegation zone and surprisingly are still in danger of being relegated to the Championship, despite being the top team. Mathematically, the team has also ruled out a top 4 finish, which was no longer possible some time ago. Although the Chelsea team are clearly eager for the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager, current manager Lampard is determined to avoid a questionable record at Emirates Stadium. If Chelsea lose, it will be the first time in Premier League history that they suffer 20 defeats in a season. The last time Chelsea experienced such a bad season was in the 1987-88 season.
Chelsea's recent form has been disappointing as they have gone eight games without a win since Graham Potter's Brighton won 3-1 over Leicester City in March. Since Lampard's appointment, the team have only scored one goal - Conor Gallagher's deflected strike against Brighton - and have won just one of their last 10 away Premier League games.
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