Enzo Maresca, the Chelsea manager, has expressed concern that striker Liam Delap’s shoulder injury could be “quite bad” following his early exit during the 0-0 draw against Bournemouth.
The 22-year-old’s luck seems to have taken a turn for the worse after appearing to dislocate his shoulder while tangling with Marcos Senesi during a corner kick.
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The injury occurred during a physical exchange with Senesi, which was preceded by an off-the-ball incident where Delap inadvertently struck the Italian’s arm.
After Delap was substituted for teenager Marc Guiu in the 30th minute, Maresca commented, “It’s unfortunate because he was just returning from a two-month injury and now he faces another setback. We are uncertain about the duration, but it seems quite severe for his shoulder.”
This marks Delap’s second major injury of the season, following a hamstring pull sustained while chasing a pass against Fulham back in August.
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Delap’s Difficult Season since Joining
Chelsea secured Delap’s signature in June, overcoming competition from Manchester United, Newcastle, and Everton. The Blues triggered his £30m release clause, a move that initially seemed promising after he netted 12 goals in 37 matches for relegated Ipswich last season.
Delap contributed an assist in his debut against LAFC at the Club World Cup and scored in his third match versus ES Tunis as Chelsea clinched the tournament.
However, new signing Joao Pedro quickly took the spotlight, scoring five goals in his first five starts, including a spectacular lob in the Club World Cup final against Paris St-Germain.
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With Pedro rising in favor, Delap suffered a significant hamstring injury against Fulham, sidelining him for two months.
Upon his return in the Carabao Cup against Wolves in October, he received a red card for an altercation with Yerson Mosquera and a questionable push on Emmanuel Agbadou, which Maresca termed “very stupid” and “embarrassing”.
Delap later issued apologies to his teammates privately and publicly, amid concerns regarding his disciplinary record, as he had received the joint-most bookings (12) in the Premier League last season.
Adjusting to Chelsea’s possession-heavy style of play has also proven challenging for Delap, despite his prior success with Maresca in Manchester City’s under-21 championship-winning team of 2020-21.
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“Liam is a classic number nine who thrives on space and making runs behind defenses,” Maresca remarked last month. “Against teams that sit deep, he finds it more difficult due to limited space.”
Maresca added that Delap “needed” to find the back of the net this season, expressing relief when he broke a 13-game scoring drought by netting the third goal in a 3-0 victory over Barcelona in late November.
Despite this, Delap has yet to score in the Premier League across eight appearances and has just two goals in 17 matches overall since joining Chelsea.
He effectively stepped into the role vacated by Nicolas Jackson, who is currently on loan at Bayern Munich after being sidelined at Chelsea.
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Maresca Remains Optimistic
Maresca dismissed broader concerns regarding Chelsea’s attacking performance following their match against Bournemouth.
The Blues had maintained a scoring streak in their previous 13 league games since the season opener, placing them third in expected goals (xG) behind only Manchester City and Arsenal after 14 matches.
“We lacked a bit of quality in the final third during this match,” Maresca stated. “We made several mistakes, and there were moments where we could have shot instead of opted for a cross.”
“Nevertheless, it’s crucial that we focus on not losing when winning isn’t possible,” he added.
On Cole Palmer, who made his first start since 20 September, Maresca remarked, “I think Cole performed well; he played half an hour the other day and an hour today. Now, it’s important for him to build up his fitness.”
Maresca’s optimistic stance was further echoed when asked about Chelsea’s title aspirations. “My message after the Arsenal match was that if we are still in contention come February or March, we will be in a title race,” he stated.
“There are plenty of matches left, and the table is very tight. A couple of wins can change everything, while losing can set you back.”
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Following their draw against Bournemouth, Chelsea narrowed the gap to league leaders Arsenal to eight points. They currently sit in the top four with 25 points after 14 matches, with Champions League qualification being the primary goal for the remainder of the season.