Agony for Chilwell
Injury ends World Cup dream and puts Spurs’ Sessegnon in the frame
BEN CHILWELL is facing world cup heartbreak — with Tottenham left back Ryan sessegnon among those hoping to benefit from the chelsea star’s cruel luck.
Chilwell limped off with a hamstring injury during the closing stages of chelsea’s champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb.
Early indications were that he had suffered a muscle tear, which would rule him out of england’s squad for Qatar. He had tests yesterday to determine the extent of the damage, but if the injury is as bad as feared, chilwell will miss the world cup and potentially the restart of the Premier League season on Boxing Day.
The unfortunate turn of events opens the door to a player on the fringes of england manager Gareth southgate’s plans.
Sportsmail understands that spurs left back sessegnon is among the players in the running to be catapulted into southgate’s final 26-man squad on Thursday.
The 22-year- old was named in england’s extended 55-man squad for the world cup last month. Leicester defender James Justin was also included in southgate’s long list.
The injury to chilwell (below) is another blow for the england boss, whose build-up to the tournament has been dogged by setbacks for key players.
Kalvin Phillips — such an important player in last year’s euphoric run to the euros final — is recovering from shoulder surgery having played just 14 minutes of football for Manchester city since his move from Leeds United. His club-mate Kyle walker — in normal circumstances an automatic starter — is a doubt after a groin operation, although city boss Pep Guardiola has stated that the pair should be fit for selection.
How ready they are for the strains of an international tournament, and how many matches they can play, are different questions. Barring a miracle, Reece James — who was emerging as a contender to start the tournament — will miss Qatar after sustaining a knee ligament injury in chelsea’s champions League win over Ac Milan last month. Bukayo saka and Trent Alexander- Arnold have also provided southgate with injury scares over the past week, but the defence is the manager’s biggest headache less than three weeks before the tournament opener against iran.
As well as worries over walker, James and chilwell, the england boss heads into the tournament knowing his first- choice centre backs could well be undercooked.
Harry Maguire, who has only just returned from a spell on the sidelines, is not first- choice at Manchester United.
And John stones has played just twice for Manchester city since england’s 3-3 draw with Germany on september 29.
Luke shaw is playing regularly at United and will almost certainly start the world cup as england’s first- choice left back, in the anticipated absence of chilwell.
The mounting injury problems do open the door to those on the edge of the squad.
Joe Gomez and Ben white appear the two most likely to benefit, while Lewis Dunk, Trevoh chalobah and Justin are among the defenders selected in southgate’s 55-man extended squad.