Poch to call on the kids
MAURICIO Pochettino wants Chelsea’s academy stars to help solve his injury crisis.
The Blues could have 11 senior players missing on Monday at Stamford Bridge.
Axel Disasi and Enzo Fernandez are the latest stars with fitness problems while Raheem Sterling is suffering from illness.
The Chelsea boss said of his side’s injury struggles: “It should be fair to have a fit squad to prove that we are a good team and can compete for big things.
“At the moment it’s not fair to judge players, it’s really tough when you don’t have the squad fit to increase the competition between them.
“However, it’s a good opportunity for the young guys and being realistic, to prove they can compete in the first team and be a Chelsea player. We need to be positive and create a solution to the problems that we are living.
“We need to see if these young guys can step up and be a really big asset for the club.”
Everton boss Sean Dyche is backing injury plagued Andre Gomes to bring calm to the club’s relegation storm.
The Portugal star has rarely displayed the artistry which led to the Toffees signing him from Barcelona in 2018 due to injuries.
But last Saturday he made a rare start against Burnley and helped Dyche’s side to their first Prem victory in 14 games.
Dyche said: “It’s been hard for him with all the ups and downs.
“But I made it clear to him when he came back in the summer that he could be an important part of us.
“He has been so unlucky. He put in a very good physical performance against Burnley considering I hadn’t played him for so long.”