Gary Cahill is a doubt for the FA Cup fifth-round match between Chelsea and Manchester City, but the London side need their man to be fit.
The latest news coming out of Chelsea is that Gary Cahill could miss his side’s FA Cup fifth-round match against Manchester City at the weekend after suffering a calf injury.
The setback came during the Blues’ 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Tuesday evening, although the England centre-back finished the match.
Sky Sports is now reporting that Cahill will undergo tests to ascertain just how serious the injury is. And given the player’s performance the last time he came up against Manuel Pellegrini’s men, fans of the London club will be hoping he makes a very quick recovery.
As you can see from the statistics below, Cahill was outstanding in Chelsea’s 1-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month. While Pellegrini’s side dominated possession they rarely found a way past the Chelsea back-line, having just three shots on target despite enjoying 65% of the possession.
| Player | Duel Won | Aerial Won | Interception Won | Effective Clearance | Effective Head Clearance | Mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Cahill | 11 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 90 |
| Branislav Ivanovic | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 90 |
| César Azpilicueta | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 90 |
| John Terry | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 90 |
Cahill outshone his fellow Chelsea defenders in practically every area, with Cesar Azpilicueta pipping him only when it came to interceptions won. Apart from that, Cahill was colossal and to be without him for their return to the Etihad would be a huge blow.
He could still be fit, but if the news is anything less than very good indeed, Jose Mourinho may have to do without the man who shone the last time he put City to the sword.
image: © Ben Sutherland
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