Liam Delap was subbed off in the first half against Bournemouth (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea striker Liam Delap is reportedly set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines after he picked up a shoulder injury in the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth.
Delap was handed his second successive Premier League start on Saturday as Enzo Maresca’s side travelled to the south coast.
However, the striker’s match lasted little more than 30 minutes after he landed awkwardly on his shoulder following a duel with Marcos Senesi.
The Englishman was subsequently replaced by Marc Guiu, using his match shirt as a makeshift sling as he made his way off the pitch in clear discomfort.
Speaking after the game, Maresca hinted that the early signs were not positive for Delap, telling reporters: ‘Unfortunately he was already out for two months and he has to be out again.
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‘We don’t know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder.’
And talkSPORT are now reporting that Delap tore his shoulder ligaments in the fall and could be facing up to eight weeks out with the injury.
Delap has had a torrid time with injuries since joining Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
The news will be a bitter blow for the striker, who signed for £30million from Ipswich Town over the summer but has endured a tough start to life at Stamford Bridge.
Delap missed almost two months of action due to a hamstring injury which he sustained in the third league game of the season against Fulham.
The striker made his return in late October against Wolves, but his cameo off the bench lasted only 26 minutes before he was sent off following a second yellow card.
Enzo Maresca will be without his summer signing for another extended period (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures
Atalanta vs Chelsea (Champions League, December 9)
Chelsea vs Everton (Premier League, December 13)
Cardiff vs Chelsea (Carabao Cup, December 16)
Newcastle vs Chelsea (Premier League, December 20)
Chelsea vs Aston Villa (Premier League, December 27)
Chelsea vs Bournemouth (Premier League, December 30)
Manchester City vs Chelsea (Premier League, January 4)
The 22-year-old did get his first goal for the club in last month’s impressive 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League.
But Delap is still yet to get off the mark for the Blues in the league, having scored 12 times for Ipswich under Kieran McKenna last season.
With Delap out injured, Joao Pedro and Guiu are Maresca’s two centre forward options, althogh the Italian has deployed Pedro Neto centrally in recent weeks.
Chelsea are in desperate need of a positive result after a midweek defeat to Leeds United and a goalless draw with Bournemouth at the weekend.
The Blues currently sit fifth and eight points of league leaders Arsenal, but have a tricky upcoming fixture list over the busy festive period.
Maresca’s side travel to face Atalanta in the Champions League before a home league game against Everton and a trip to Cardiff in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
But after that, Chelsea face a tough run against Newcastle, Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Manchester City in the space of just 16 days over the Christmas and New Year period.
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