Burkina Faso
Friendly Games
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia

Chelseavs.Burnley

sportsmole.co.uk, 25 March 2024, 12:56
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has received a selection concern about Enzo Fernandez ahead of their clash with Burnley on Saturday.

The Blues face the relegation-threatened outfit still in the bottom half, but only three points off a potential European spot.

Many members of the Chelsea side have been away on international duty, including Fernandez, who scored for Argentina in their 3-0 win over El Salvador last week.

La Albiceleste play another friendly against Costa Rica on Tuesday night, but that will leave Fernandez doubtful of featuring for Chelsea this weekend.

With kickoff at 2:50am UK time in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Fernandez is not likely to return to London until Friday at the earliest, raising doubts about his fitness.

Many instances in the past have seen players returning from the Americas and Asia left on the bench for the first club game after an international break due to jet lag.

With such a short window between Fernandez's return to the country, and Chelsea's 3pm Saturday kickoff, the midfielder may only start as a substitute at Stamford Bridge.

The 23-year-old missed Chelsea's last game too, as two FA Cup bookings meant he was suspended for the quarter-final win over Leicester City shortly before the break.

Fernandez has been a regular though, playing 90 minutes almost every week since missing the festive fixtures in December with a brief injury.

The Argentine is not the only fitness worry for Pochettino either, following the news that Carney Chukwuemeka has left the England under-21 camp early.

Chukwuemeka will return to Cobham to work on his fitness, but Cole Palmer is still with the senior England squad despite missing the weekend defeat to Brazil.

After withdrawing from the French under-21 squad, Malo Gusto is expected to be fit to face the Clarets though, following his recovery from a virus.

That will come as a welcome relief to Pochettino, who remains without first-choice right-back Reece James due to injury.

Show more

Top News

9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal should not be considering any bids of under £100m for Real Madrid-linked William Saliba during the summer transfer window, Gunners expert Charles Watts feels. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Casemiro is keen to remain at Manchester United for the remainder of his contract, talkSPORT understands. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Xabi Alonso is expected to target Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen for Real Madrid in the summer transfer window according to reports. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly braced themselves for competition for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah, who is of interest to Newcastle United. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Steven Gerrard is being considered for the vacant Rangers job, talkSPORT understands. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to end a five-match league winless run and crack the top six of the Eredivisie table, Go Ahead Eagles will travel to take on PEC Zwolle on Sunday. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool centre-back Jarell Quansah has reportedly drawn interest from Premier League side Nottingham Forest, with a fee in the region of £29m thought to be enough to secure his services. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City midfielder Jacob Wright is closing in on a permanent transfer to Norwich City, according to the Championship club's sporting director Ben Knapper. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Mikel Arteta has confirmed Arsenal will give Liverpool a guard of honour as he hailed the 'fascinating' job Arne Slot has done at Anfield this season. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Superstar teenager Lamine Yamal revealed he would love to play at Anfield and Old Trafford. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk For the second week running, Bournemouth occupy a slot in Saturday's 5.30pm Premier League kickoff, where the Cherries will pit their wits against Champions League-chasing Aston Villa at the Vitality Stadium. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to boost their hopes of a top-three finish in the Eredivisie table, FC Utrecht will travel to take on FC Twente on Sunday. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has revealed that Adam Wharton is facing a race against time to be fit for the FA Cup final. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Tommy Widdrington will walk out at Wembley Stadium on Sunday after recovering from two strokes. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers is reportedly prepared to leave the club amid interest from Chelsea and Manchester City. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Barcelona can all but extinguish Real Madrid's LaLiga title hopes in the third and final El Clasico of the season this weekend. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are reportedly seriously interested in signing Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz from Liverpool this summer. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have reportedly made contact over a potential move to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid this summer. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Besiktas will be aiming to break into the top three when they welcome bottom-placed Adana Demirspor to Tupras Stadium on Sunday. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United are set to make a few defensive changes ahead of a trip to Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon to face Manchester United. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk A high-stakes relegation survival battle takes place in the Turkish Super Lig this weekend when Sivasspor hosts Bodrumspor on Sunday. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are staring at a fourth straight defeat in all competitions, with the Gunners preparing to continue their Premier League campaign away to the champions Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are expected to name a strong team for the visit of West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Liverpool fittingly return to Anfield for the first time since becoming Premier League champions against rivals Arsenal this weekend. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to enjoy some domestic success before the end of the campaign, Manchester United welcome West Ham United to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. 9 May 2025 talksport.com Incoming Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is interested in signing Dean Huijsen this summer, talkSPORT understands. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Top-eight hopefuls Brentford travel to Portman Road to take on already-relegated Ipswich Town in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League-chasing Manchester City travel to St Mary's to face already-relegated Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham welcome Everton to Craven Cottage on Saturday for an important Premier League fixture in their hopes of qualifying for Europe. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a fourth straight home win at the expense of their visitors' European hopes, Wolverhampton Wanderers take on Brighton & Hove Albion in Saturday's Premier League battle at Molineux.