Chelsea Faces Six-Week Liam Delap Injury Amid Striker Departures

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that striker Liam Delap will be sidelined for six to eight weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury during Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Fulham. Delap's injury comes at a challenging time for Chelsea, who recently loaned Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich and sold Christopher Nkunku to AC Milan, leaving Joao Pedro as their only senior fit striker. Maresca acknowledged that having just one fit striker is insufficient for the squad and admitted the club might need to consider further reinforcements during the transfer window. Despite the injury setback, Chelsea secured a win with goals from Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez, but the lack of attacking depth raises concerns about their ability to compete for major trophies this season. Maresca also defended the use of VAR in the match against Fulham, disagreeing with the opposing manager's criticism. Overall, the team faces an uncertain period ahead with limited striking options and the need to make strategic decisions to maintain their competitiveness.