Chelsea suffer further fitness issues ahead of Newcastle visit

Chelsea have confirmed left-back Ben Chilwell has been sent to see a specialist after picking up a fresh knee injury, with the Blues handed several fresh fitness concerns ahead of Monday's meeting with Newcastle United.

Chilwell, who returned from three months out with a hamstring injury in January, played the full 90 minutes against Brentford last time out but suffered a knee problem during the match which has left him unable to train since.

"We need to wait until he sees the specialist," head coach Mauricio Pochettino said when asked for an update on the left-back. "I cannot go in advance. I hope it's not a big issue but in this moment after eight or nine months with the club, I prefer to be cautious and wait."

Centre-back Levi Colwill also picked up a toe problem against Brentford which has left him unable to train, while midfielder Conor Gallagher has been unwell and has missed training as well.

On Gallagher, Pochettino explained: "He is still not here. In the last three days of training, he is not here. We will see if he can be with the possibility to train.

"The problem with this kind of situation is you lose weight, the energy is always down, you need time to recover and see if it can be possible to be available and in which level you can be available. We need to assess him in the next few days."

Pochettino admitted his frustration towards what he feels is "bad luck" on the injury front, revealing he has never battled such an extensive injury bug before.

"We remember things from the past with different clubs, I think [this is the worst luck of his career]," Pochettino added. "Already when we arrived here at Chelsea, we analysed the situation, that was one of the weakest points in the last season, too many injuries. Too much bad luck, you know?

"Sometimes, bad luck or good luck, I don't like to talk in this way because it looks like if you work or don't work well, you need to have good or bad luck. But I think it's too many things that happen, you know?

"Why we have today the problems with the squad, it's about more deep analysis. It's not only bad luck, it's good to clarify. Also, it's something we need to think to improve or to restructure, to pay attention in all of the areas. It's not to blame one area, it's the responsibility of the whole club, of course."

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