'Quite bad' - Maresca provides worrying Delap update as Chelsea face fresh injury headache
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Enzo Maresca has provided some early bad news on Liam Delap's shoulder injury that the striker sustained in Chelsea's goalless draw with Bournemouth on Saturday.
It was just a couple of days ago that Maresca expressed his confidence that Delap will soon be scoring goals for Chelsea after returning from a two-month injury spell.
The 22-year-old striker will now have to be sidelined again after Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi unfortunately landed on him awkwardly during a corner-kick situation.
Delap appeared to be in pain and was seen to by doctors before eventually being replaced by Marc Guiu in the 31st minute.
Maresca has now confirmed that the early signs were not encouraging.
"Unfortunately he will be out again," the Italian said about Delap in his post-match press conference.
"We don't know how long, but his shoulder looks quite bad.
"He has been unlucky, he has been out two months already and needs to be out again."
Chelsea will have plenty of striker options to take Delap's place on the pitch, but it is still sad to see him pick up another injury so soon after just returning from the last one.
Delap was previously out for two months due to a hamstring injury he sustained against Fulham in late August.
The former Ipswich Town striker has yet to score a Premier League goal for Chelsea, although he already had his first in the Champions League against Barcelona last week.
Joao Pedro, Guiu, and even Tyrique George will likely see their minutes increase amid Delap's absence.
Pedro Neto is another alternative number nine option at Maresca's disposal.
Gerry Crisandy is a freelance writer who has covered Chelsea for many years. His work has been published on The Chelsea Chronicle and Pride of London. He grew up idolising Michael Ballack and is a firm believer in expected goals.