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CHELSEA fear top goalscorer Diego Costa could be ruled out for the next three weeks.
That leaves manager Jose Mourinho with the threat of a striker crisis hanging over him ahead of next week’s clash against Manchester United. Didier Drogba is still struggling with an ankle injury, which leaves Loic Remy as Chelsea’s only fully fit striker ahead today’s trip to Crystal Palace.
Should Remy face any injury problems against Palace or in Tuesday night’s Champions League tie against Maribor, then Chelsea could go into the United game with no fit strikers.
Costa will continue to be treated by Chelsea in the hope he can return quickly, but there is a real worry inside Stamford Bridge that he may require a three-week rest. Striker Costa has been suffering with hamstring problems since the end of last season, but played 172 minutes in Spain’s Euro 2016 qualifiers against Slovakia and Luxembourg.
Mourinho refused to confirm whether or not Costa returned to Chelsea with an injury, but the 26- year-old pulled up in training with the Blues this week.
Costa suffered a hamstring problem while on international duty with Spain in September, leading Mourinho to claim he cannot play three games in a week. Chelsea have made an unbeaten start to their Premier League season, with Costa scoring nine goals. — The Guardian
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