Chelsea have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their trip to Manchester United next weekend.
Manchester United will return to action in the Premier League this week after a short break for the latest round of international fixtures. A trip to the Etihad Stadium awaits Ruben Amorim’s side on Sunday.
Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Diogo Dalot are unavailable for the game against Man City, although Pep Guardiola has multiple injury concerns of his own.
United are hoping to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season. After failing to win the first two league games of the season, earning just a point, United beat Burnley 3-2 at Old Trafford.
Next week, Amorim’s side will face another top rival in the Premier League when Chelsea visit Old Trafford. The fixture will mark Alejandro Garnacho’s return to Old Trafford following his transfer to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Liam Delap in action for Chelsea at the Club World Cup.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Chelsea without Liam Delap until December
Chelsea striker Liam Delap faces a long spell in the treatment room after sustaining a hamstring injury against Fulham before the international break.
Delap became a transfer target for United before he decided to leave Ipswich Town for Chelsea in a deal worth £30 million.
Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said Delap will be unavailable for 10 to 12 weeks.
More United News
“Liam Delap will be out for 10-12 weeks, unfortunately, it’s a long way to go,” Maresca told reporters, as quoted by The Independent.
That means Delap will miss Chelsea’s trip to Old Trafford on 20 September.
Although this is sure to come as a blow for Chelsea, Delap has yet to score since the new competitive season began, after managing to find the back of the net once in the Club World Cup during the summer.
Ineos will be thankful for the fact that none of their new signings have suffered long-term injuries, as no specific information has been released on the injury Cunha sustained against Burnley.
Delap record against Man Utd
Despite attracting attention from United in the summer, Delap has yet to score against the Red Devils.
The former Man City academy star played against United on two occasions as an Ipswich Town player.
Delap has yet to win a match against United, drawing one and losing as many.
The 22-year-old striker will hope to be fit when United travel to Stamford Bridge later this season.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if Garnacho will line up against his former club, just a few weeks after signing for the Blues and missing the entirety of pre-season.