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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Samuel Meade

Chelsea news: Potter holds Mudryk chat with Blues set to be without three for Leicester

Chelsea are looking to make it three wins on the bounce when they take on Leicester this weekend.

The Blues beat Leeds last week before also advancing to the last eight of the Champions League with a win over Borussia Dortmund. Graham Potter has been under heavy scrutiny for much of his tenure at Stamford Bridge with the Blues almost certain to miss out on the top four.

The former Brighton boss is very much still seeking a winning formula, such is the personnel available to him. The club have spent huge sums but with little return as of yet.

Here are five talking points from Stamford Bridge.

Potter's Mudryk chat

Potter has moved to reassure Mykhaylo Mudryk of his importance to Chelsea after the £87million January recruit failed to make it off the bench in the past two games.

Mudryk arrived in west London during the January transfer window after the Blues gazumped Arsenal to land the Ukraine international. He came with a heavy burden of expectation after impressing for Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, but has yet to find his feet at Chelsea.

The 22-year-old has not contributed a goal or an assist in six appearances and has found himself out of the team. After being given just 10 minutes at the end of the 2-0 defeat at Tottenham in February, he has been left on the bench during the past two matches, wins over Leeds and Borussia Dortmund.

Potter held a private chat with Mudryk earlier this week to discuss his progress and explain why he’s not played much recently, according to journalist Simon Phillips. And speaking ahead of Chelsea’s game against Leicester on Saturday, Potter said injuries to Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount could open the door for him to play this weekend.

Read more here.

Chilwell leaps to Sterling defence

Chelsea's squad have leapt to the defence of the under fire Raheem Sterling with Ben Chilwell

The forward moved to Stamford Bridge from rivals Manchester City in the summer, but hasn't hit the heights many expected. The Blues have a host of attacking weapons at their disposal and Sterling has by no means been a regular, but is still hugely adored by his team-mates.

"He’s a brilliant football player, so on the pitch we all kind of knew what we were getting," Chilwell told Parimatch. "We knew he was going to impact our team with a lot of goalscoring opportunities, with goals and assists. But of course, me and the boys who play at England know that in the changing room and around the training ground, he has a big impact.

"Even though he’s still young, he’s very experienced, he’s played a lot of international football, he’s played a lot of club games in the Premier League. He’s brought a lot of experience, which he’s using to help people across the team, especially the younger players."

Reece James will again be unavailable for the Blues (Getty Images)

Trio ruled out

Potter looks set to be without Reece James, Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Chelsea's clash with Leicester.

The west Londoners have got back to winning ways over the past seven days. They secured a 1-0 success over Leeds in the league before they overcame a first-leg deficit to see off Dortmund, but they will face the Foxes at the King Power Stadium without several men.

James only recently returned but is forced out with illness. Potter said: "Reece has been ill so hasn’t trained today, so he won’t make the game tomorrow. Raheem had a little feeling in his hamstring, more tightness than anything, so he’s looking doubtful for tomorrow as well. Aubameyang’s had a slight problem with his back, so again he’s looking like he’ll miss the game. Apart from that everybody’s okay."

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