Football London

Four Tottenham changes Thomas Frank can make vs Chelsea to combat horror 12-man injury list

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Tottenham host Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday as they bid to respond to Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle

Thomas Frank is poised to issue a Tottenham injury update on Friday ahead of Saturday's highly-anticipated London derby against Chelsea. The Dane currently has 12 first-team stars sidelined meaning his squad is being stretched to its limits.

Captain Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke are edging closer to a return but it's currently unclear whether any of those will be available to face the Blues.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski remain long-term absentees while Radu Dragusin will be back after the international break to provide a much-needed boost at the back.

Yves Bissouma has just undergone ankle surgery but like Kota Takai, he is yet to feature for Spurs this season. There is also still no timeframe on Ben Davies' return. Wilson Odobert could be back this weekend but Archie Gray is set to miss several weeks of action after picking up a calf problem in the goalless Champions League draw at Monaco.

However, it's not all doom and gloom because Micky van de Ven is poised to return to the starting XI after enjoying some rest in midweek.

There are a few selection headaches that Frank must navigate but Tottenham could still field a very strong team that is more than capable of picking up a result.

The Spurs boss said on Wednesday night at St James' Park that he expects Guglielmo Vicario to be available, so he should return in place of Antonin Kinsky between the sticks.

The back-four currently picks itself with Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Van de Ven and Djed Spence all in line to start.

Joao Palhinha should then be pushed back into midfield alongside Rodrigo Bentancur in the engine room.

Mohammed Kudus is poised to operate from the right flank after starting on the bench at Newcastle, where Xavi Simons was bright.

Simons could feature from the left and there will be some debate as to who should start in the advanced midfield role.

If that's not Simons, Pape Matar Sarr or Lucas Bergvall should get the nod. Sarr has a good record against the so-called Big Six.

He starred in the 2-0 win over Manchester City in August, netted against City in the Carabao Cup last season and scored his first-ever Spurs goal against Manchester United.

This is the kind of game where his energy and enthusiasm, pressing from midfield, could be a valuable asset. Equally, the same could be said of Bergvall's creativity.

In attack, Randal Kolo Muani should be given the chance to get off the mark for Tottenham.

The Frenchman played well last weekend at Everton and he's fresh after starting on the bench at St James' Park where Richarlison did not do enough to keep his place in the team.

Ex-Tottenham man quits football at 26 for new career just months after Europa League triumph

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Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman played one time for Tottenham Hotspur throughout his career with him playing reguarly for the youth teams and a brief loan spell with Swedish side Degefors IF

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman has hung up his boots at the age of 27. The decision came at the end of last season when he was just 26.

Whiteman, who was part of Ange Postecoglou's Europa League-winning squad, had been with Spurs since his youth team days before penning his first professional contract. During his tenure at Tottenham, he had two loan spells - both with Swedish outfit Degerfors - but never really managed to break into the first team and often found himself far down the pecking order.

His limited first-team action prompted him to explore other interests, including acting classes, broadcasting, and photography. According to The Athletic, he anticipated continuing his football career after being released by Spurs at the close of last season.

However, the goalkeeper decided to retire on his own terms over the summer and is now pursuing a career in photography, confessing that he was unhappy as a professional footballer.

He shared: "I signed for Spurs at 10 years old. Then I left school at 16 and went straight into this full-time life of football.", reports the Mirror.

"When I was around 17 or 18, living in digs, I just had this feeling inside of, 'Is this it?' Getting on the mini bus, going to training, doing the Sports Science BTEC and going home to play video games. I realised, 'Oh, I'm not happy here' from quite a young age.

"The stereotype of a footballer is generally quite true. It's the golf, washbag culture. I was that young footballer. I wanted the Gucci washbag and I drove the Mercedes. You all just become a reflection of each other.

"You're a product of your environment. It's the way football is in this country; it's so shut off from anything else. You go to training and then you go home, that's it."

Whiteman further stated: "Football is a short career regardless, even if you do really well, and I knew that I didn't want to stay in it.

"It was about trying to gain experience and be proactive in learning about these things I was also interested in, but mainly because I was enjoying it, and was surrounded by the kinds of people that were doing what I enjoyed as a job.

"They were making things. It was really inspiring."

15 players set to miss Tottenham vs Chelsea with both managers facing huge problems

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Ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's battle against Chelsea, football.london takes a look at who will be missing for both sides in their Premier League clash

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea could be missing as many as 15 players between them when they come together in north London.

Thomas Frank's side and Enzo Maresca's team both competed in the Carabao Cup midweek. While Maresca's men progressed into the quarter-finals with a dramatic 4-3 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Spurs were dumped out of the competition after a 2-0 away loss to Newcastle United.

However, despite their safe passage into the last eight, where they will face League One side Cardiff City, Maresca was furious with Liam Delap's unnecessary two bookings and subsequent red card in the Midlands. Ahead of the derby this weekend, football.london takes a look at who will be missing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur

Unfortunately for the ex-Brentford manager, Frank will still be missing around 10 first team stars. Archie Gray became the latest Lilywhite to join the injury list, after picking up a calf injury.

He follows Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies, Radu Dragusin, Kota Takai, Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Dominic Solanke on the treatment table. However, Frank did state he expects Guglielmo Vicario to play against Chelsea, after missing the loss to Newcastle.

Initially, it was assumed the Italian was absent for rotation purposes. In his post-match interview, Frank hinted he was injured, saying: "He had a smaller thing that had to be done but he'll be ready for Chelsea."

Unfortunately for Spurs, Wilson Odobert is also a doubt for the match, after picking up a "side strain" recently.

On the Frenchman, Frank said: "Odobert had a side strain unfortunately, that kept him out for this game. Also we need to assess him, but it could look positive for Chelsea."

There also remains lingering doubts about the fitness of club captain and defensive warrior Cristian Romero, who has not featured in the Premier League since the 2-1 away victory over Leeds United at the start of the month.

Chelsea

Maresca's injury list is not quite as long as Tottenham's and Chelsea fans will be relieved. However, he was left enraged by Delap's needless red card against Wolves in the League Cup.

Delap had been missing for several weeks when he came off the bench for his return to football at Molineux. But the summer signing from Ipswich Town got himself sent off with two rash yellow cards, the second of which could have been a straight red card in its own right, in a cameo display described as "embarrassing" by Maresca.

Despite it happening in the League Cup, Delap will be suspended for the away trip to Spurs. This is a huge blow, with the Italian also being without Cole Palmer in the attacking areas.

In defence, his options are also thin with Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill both nursing long-term injuries.

Midfield youngster Dario Essugo is also still injured, while Mykhailo Mudryk is still provisionally suspended after being charged by the Football Association in mid-June with anti-doping rule violations.

In the League Cup, Chelsea were able to make nine changes from the starting eleven which lost to Sunderland, including resting Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. They will be expected to return in north London.

Woman charged after ex-Tottenham star's son lost leg in horror crash

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Former England youth international Jordan Chiedozie, who is the son of ex-Tottenham Hotspur winger John Chiedozie, was left with life-changing injuries following a crash on the M27

A woman has been charged following a devastating motorway collision that resulted in Jordan Chiedozie, the son of ex-Tottenham Hotspur star John, losing his leg.

The ex-Bournemouth and Southend United player was struck by a vehicle whilst attending to a punctured tyre on the M27's hard shoulder. Anna Bogusiewicz, 45, faces charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drink driving.

Her case will be heard at Southampton Crown Cout, where it has been scheduled for December 1. The collision occurred on February 1 as Chiedozie, then playing for Hampshire club Bashley FC, travelled home from a match alongside physio Reighan Taylor.

The incident happened on the eastbound carriageway between junctions two and three, where Chiedozie had stopped to inspect his vehicle's tyre. The impact left him with "multiple broken bones and other physical injuries" and he was also required to be put into an induced coma.

Tragically, surgeons were also forced to amputate his leg. Chiedozie, whose father John previously played for Spurs between 1984 and 1988, has recently opened up about the devastating incident.

He said: "I think you just have to [stay positive], you just have to get on with it. If you stay too much thinking of what happened and the past, I don't think it helps with the recovery and being able to get as close as to normal as before, going forward."

In a candid chat with the BBC, he also added: "It takes time, but I'm getting there in terms of recovery - I'm getting better. I've still got a long journey, learning a whole new lifestyle with the prosthetic leg."

He also drew parallels to the tragic demise of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who were killed in a car crash in July, just months after his own accident.

Reflecting on the Portuguese forward's untimely death, Chiedozie said it "put things into perspective" and added: "It's hard to process - you are happy and blessed to be here, but you have still gone through serious injuries."

Since losing his leg, Chiedozie has had to relearn many basic tasks, including walking. Describing the process as "frustrating" he remarked: "It's strange.

"You don't think you'd have to learn stuff again - it's not easy but it's something I have to do. I can't dwell on it. I don't know if it's mental strength, but you just have to get on with it."

In his process of moving on, he also said he intends on finding a way to play golf again. Chiedozie added: "I haven't put too much thought into the future.

"I want to play whatever sports I can - obviously golf is a sport I know I can go to and try and get back to a high level, now football is out of the equation."

Tottenham star Pedro Porro picks out one thing he 'loved' about frustrating Newcastle display

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Pedro Porro has been speaking in the aftermath of Tottenham's 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat against Newcastle

Pedro Porro has claimed he loved Tottenham's mentality against Newcastle - despite falling short at St James' Park. The Spain international full-back captained the side in the absence of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven but he was unable to inspire his side to victory on Tyneside.

Tottenham had a number of chances in the North East but Richarlison lacked cutting edge inside the penalty area as Thomas Frank's men fired blank.

Still, Porro is refusing to get too down over the defeat as he also paid tribute to the 5000 travelling Tottenham supporters.

He told Spurs Play: “It is first very disappointing for us, for all the fans that come here today in the night on Wednesday fighting for me myself and my other teammates thank you so much for the support.

“A bad result for them, no and for us I think but I love the mentality of the team because you concede a goal in the set pieces this happens in football.

"But we stayed in the game, started the second half and we concede again. The best thing about today is the fans, thank you so much and keeping going on Saturday."

Porro previously called out the mentality of the Tottenham squad in the dressing room after the 0-0 Champions League draw at Monaco.

He felt Spurs were too flimsy on the night after conceding a whopping 23 shots on their goal. The right-back doesn't feel Tottenham performed badly against Newcastle overall, adding: “I think we played well in the first half.

"A little combination with Richarlison maybe we stay with the ball one more second for the last pass or maybe in this moment you need more people in the area, sometimes football is there.

“But I think the most important thing today is the mentality we put everything in on the pitch, you lose this game, it’s disappointing because last season we arrived in the semi final and lost in Anfield but I think for me the other team is good.

“The atmosphere is incredible. This is important for the game but we know we have another game on Saturday in the afternoon and we'll go again."

Guglielmo Vicario and Micky van de Ven will both be back to face Chelsea on Saturday. Vicario didn't travel with Spurs to the North East while Van de Ven was an unused substitute, earning some rare rest.

What Pedro Porro did when two Tottenham stars walked down tunnel after Newcastle defeat

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Pedro Porro captained Tottenham on Wednesday night as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup fourth round

On a night Tottenham desperately lacked leadership, Pedro Porro showcased exactly why he was handed the captain's armband by Thomas Frank. The Spaniard persistently fought Spurs' corner with referee Chris Kavanagh after a series of officiating decisions did not go his team's way.

Tottenham, at times, let their emotions get the better of them at St James' Park, however, Porro ushered his team-mates away from the officials, though he was unable to prevent Richarlison from receiving a yellow card after Fabian Schar's opener.

But at full-time, the all-action right-back did once again show that he knows what it means to be Tottenham. Around 5,000 Spurs supporters made the gruelling 564-mile round-trip and they were in superb voice all evening despite the team's lack of cutting edge.

Some will have driven, some will have paid for the train or a coach but one thing is for sure, it's a huge effort to travel the length of the country on a school night on the back of consecutive away trips to Monaco and Everton.

The least Tottenham's players could do would be to show their appreciation after the full-time whistle but Randal Kolo Muani and Djed Spence headed down the tunnel prematurely.

Yes, it was a frustrating night's work and perhaps they were on auto-pilot but that will serve as no excuse to the Tottenham fans that have paid their hard-earned cash to support the team in the North East.

Porro quickly noticed the pair approaching the tunnel and shouted at them loudly, waving his arms to encourage them to rejoin the group.

As you can imagine, St James' Park was hardly quiet particularly after a midweek victory and the stadium announcer was also speaking over the tannoy.

That gives you an indication of how loud Porro shouted and Kolo Muani and Spence did stroll back over and clap the travelling support alongside their team-mates.

It might only be a small gesture but it's something that means a lot to supporters. Showing appreciation only takes a couple of minutes and definitely goes a long way, especially after a defeat.

Tottenham need to keep their fanbase on board because while things are going well in the Premier League, Thomas Frank's side remain inconsistent in all competitions.

You can also be certain that Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Guglielmo Vicario would never have let anyone leave the field without clapping the fans, so it's testament to Porro that he stepped in to maintain dressing room standards on Tyneside.

What Xavi Simons shouted at fourth official during angry Tottenham tunnel scenes

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Here are our Tottenham talking points following Wednesday night's underwhelming Carabao Cup exit at the hands of holders Newcastle

Tottenham have been left to lick their wounds after they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup last night following a disappointing team display at St James' Park.

Thomas Frank made four changes to the side that romped their way to victory at Everton on Sunday but Spurs failed to build upon their 3-0 triumph at the Hill Dickinson Stadium as their first shot at silverware this season went up in smoke.

Headers in either half from Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade inflicted the damage but Tottenham did have their fair share of opportunities to force their way back into the contest.

There will be plenty for Frank and his staff to unpack before Saturday's visit of Chelsea and his ranks have also been depleted by injuries to Wilson Odobert and Archie Gray, respectively.

Football.London dissects several talking points and moments you may have missed following a chaotic evening in the North East.

Simons' fourth official anger

Spurs boss Frank and assistant coach Justin Cochrane were animated throughout the first half because Tottenham were on the receiving end of several dubious decisions.

First Djed Spence was not allowed to get back into position by referee Chris Kavanagh for Newcastle's opener after his boot came loose and Frank later claimed that Spence was actually supposed to be marking Schar, who nodded home Sandro Tonali's delivery.

Tottenham were furious and Richarlison was later booked for his remonstrations. But just before half-time, there was another small incident that left the visitors feeling hard done by.

Xavi Simons let fly and his strike was clearly tipped over the crossbar by Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Much to the bemusement of the Tottenham bench, the officials awarded a goal-kick when replays clearly showed that Ramsdale had got a touch on Simons' long-range effort.

Tottenham's players were angry at the break and the half-time whistle came just after the Dutchman's shot.

Simons was rightly aggrieved and confronted the fourth official as he left the field, shouting loudly towards Dean Whitestone: "Wake up!"

Football.London understands Joao Palhinha also waited in the tunnel for referee Kavanagh to fight Tottenham's corner as the squad were unhappy with a number of first-half decisions.

Brennan Johnson sub reaction

When Brennan Johnson was subbed for Mohammed Kudus on 65 minutes, there were cheers from the 5000 travelling Tottenham fans.

Johnson blew hot and cold on the right flank. He nearly created an equaliser in the first half for Richarlison at the back post but otherwise, he rarely troubled Dan Burn.

The Spurs supporters belted out a rendition of "Johnson again, ole, ole" early in the match but it's clear the Welshman has lost popularity in some quarters of the club's fanbase.

While he scored arguably the most-important goal in the club's history in Bilbao, his form has nose-dived since the beginning of the campaign when he netted against Burnley and Manchester City.

The key point is that the cheers were audible when Johnson's name was read out over the tannoy and the reaction did not appear to stem from the fact Kudus was coming on, more so that Johnson was coming off.

He was Tottenham's top goalscorer in all competitions last term, netting 18 times in 51 appearances but he now looks a shadow of his former, sharp self.

The reaction from the Spurs supporters is unlikely to help his morale but he needs to use it as fuel to turn the corner as he can still be a very important player for Frank this season.

Draw annoyance

To add insult to injury, Newcastle later drew Fulham at home in the quarter-finals.

Spurs will not have too many grievances with the defeat to the Magpies as they were not at the races on Tyneside.

But had they seen the job through, a home tie against Marco Silva's struggling Cottagers would have been an enticing reward for their suffering.

Tottenham have not reached a domestic final since 2021 when they surrendered the League Cup to Manchester City at Wembley following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

Last season, they made the last-four of the competition under Ange Postecoglou before being thrashed 4-0 in the second-leg by Liverpool at Anfield.

You can't help but feel that in some respects, this might have been an opportunity missed but Spurs are so light on numbers at this moment in time, it would have been hard to justify Frank selecting a stronger team given how many injuries they're currently battling.

Midfield struggles

So much has been made this season about Frank's devotion to the double Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur midfield pivot.

Palhinha had to slot in as a central defender as Micky van de Ven enjoyed some much-needed rest and the Portuguese was sturdy, as expected, at the back - just like he was against Doncaster in round three.

While Bentancur started against Newcastle, Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall failed to take their opportunity with both hands.

Sarr forced a fine second-half save from Ramsdale but was otherwise surprisingly quiet after netting on Sunday against Everton. The same can be said of Bergvall, who had a bright 15-minute cameo at the end of the first half but failed to build on that promise after the interval.

The young duo are evidently top players, Sarr hasn't been helped by his lack of rhythm but Spurs are going to need more from the pair in the forthcoming weeks as they prepare to trade blows with Chelsea, Copenhagen, Manchester United and Arsenal, respectively.

Palhinha and Bentancur can't play every minute moving forward and while Newcastle is always a tough physical battle, Sarr and Bergvall need to provide more quality in the centre of the park if Tottenham are to pick up consistent results.

Cole Palmer, Liam Delap – Chelsea injury news and suspension latest vs Tottenham

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Chelsea visit Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this weekend, three days after their thrilling 4-3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the League Cup fourth round

Chelsea are due to be without at least half a dozen players when they travel to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Both teams were in Carabao Cup action on Wednesday, the Blues beating Wolverhampton Wanderers while Spurs succumbed to Newcastle United. Enzo Maresca made ten changes from the team that started their lost to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, with only Josh Acheampong retaining his place in the line-up.

It was far from a straightforward night in Wolverhampton, but ten-man Chelsea held on and will visit League One promotion-chasers Cardiff City in the quarter-finals. football.london looks at Chelsea's latest injuries and suspensions:

Benoit Badiashile

Benoit Badiashile has missed the previous four matches with a muscle injury. The defender last featured during the 2-1 win over Liverpool.

Maresca said on 17 October: "Benoit will be out until December. He is injured again with a muscle problem."

Potential return date: December

Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer has now missed eight consecutive matches due to a groin injury. He limped off barely 20 minutes into his last appearance against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Maresca said on 17 October: "Unfortunately, he needs to be out for probably six more weeks. This is the update."

"We try to protect Cole as much as we can, and the most important thing is that when he comes back, he is fully fit. We hope the six weeks will be enough, but it's a problem that we need to look at step by step, week by week, but for sure he is going to be okay.'

Potential return date: Burnley (A) - 22 November

Dario Essugo

Dario Essugo continues to recover from surgery on a thigh injury. The midfielder sustained the issue on international duty with Portugal's under-21s, and medical assessments confirmed surgery would be the required course of action.

Potential return date: Unknown.

Levi Colwill

Levi Colwill continues to recovery from surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained on the first day of pre-season training. The Sun reported earlier this week that he is on schedule, moving his knee joint again, and aims to return before the end of this season.

Potential return date: May

Liam Delap

Liam Delap returned from injury as a second-half substitute against Wolves but was shown two yellow cards and sent off in the space of ten minutes. The striker will now serve a one-match suspension.

Maresca said: "After the yellow card, I told him four or five times to keep calm. But Liam is a player who, when he's inside the pitch, he'll probably be playing the game for himself, and he struggles to realise and to listen around him."

Potential return date: Qarabag (A) - 29 October

Mykhailo Mudryk

Mykhailo Mudryk is still provisionally suspended after being charged by the Football Association in mid-June with anti-doping rule violations. They allege the presence and/or use of a prohibited substance, and a Chelsea statement in December claimed: "Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances".

Thomas Frank explains Guglielmo Vicario absence and issues fresh double Tottenham injury update

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Thomas Frank has provided an update on Tottenham's growing injury list after Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert missed the Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle, alongside Guglielmo Vicario

Thomas Frank has confirmed Guglielmo Vicario will be back to face Chelsea on Saturday after missing Tottenham's 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle.

The Italian shot-stopper, who has kept back-to-back clean sheets at Monaco and Everton, was not included in Spurs' travelling squad for their trip to the North East. Initially, it looked as if Vicario was just left behind so that he could rest.

Antonin Kinsky replaced him between the sticks but Frank has now indicated Vicario may have had a fitness issue, stating vaguely when quizzed on the 29-year-old's absence: "He had a smaller thing that had to be done but he'll be ready for Chelsea."

Youngster Kinsky was caught under the ball for Newcastle's second goal when he failed to claim Joe Willock's cross, allowing Nick Woltemade to head into a virtually empty net.

Spurs were technically without 12 first-team stars on Wednesday night with Wilson Odobert and Archie Gray also absent. The duo both picked up problems in Monaco but were fit enough to make the bench on Sunday at Everton.

Odobert has a "side strain" while Gray is facing a spell out on the sidelines with a calf issue. Frank said of the pair: "Odobert had a side strain unfortunately, that kept him out for this game. Also we need to assess him but it could look positive for Chelsea."

He later added on Gray: "He got a contact to the calf in Monaco. And probably in there or whatever also picked up a calf sprain."

While Tottenham are not commenting on how long the versatile midfielder could be sidelined, he's expected to miss around one month of action.

In a much-needed boost, Frank confirmed Radu Dragusin looks set to return to action after the upcoming international break. Kota Takai is also getting closer to his first Spurs appearance.

There is also hope that Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke are also on the comeback trail. Frank said when asked if there was any concern over the volume of injuries: "No, of course, I would like to have everyone fit and available. We know injuries are part of it.

"It's up to me to find solutions. I think some of the ones we had are relatively, how can I say, unlucky. It's how quick you get them back.

"But a contact injury to [James] Maddison, [Yves] Bissouma. A knee thing with Destiny, we can't do too much about that. Dom mishit the ball."

Liam Delap hands Chelsea big Tottenham suspension headache after shock red card

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Liam Delap's injury return for Chelsea ended in disastrous fashion as the striker was shown a red card soon after coming off the subs bench.

The summer signing has missed the last six weeks with a hamstring injury, but he returned against Wolves in the Carabao Cup fourth round, only to be shown two yellow cards in the space of seven minutes on his return.

A pull-back on Yerson Mosquera was the reason for his first caution, with another yellow coming shortly after a foul on Emmanuel Agbadou.

As a result, he will be suspended for this weekend's Premier League clash against rivals Tottenham. Thankfully for Delap, though, his dismissal did not really impact the result.

Chelsea flew into the lead with Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Estevao Willian all on-target in the first half.

Tolu Arokodare and David Moller Wolfe brought the Midlands side back into proceedings - before Enzo Maresca made several changes which included the introduction of Delap.

He left the pitch just 26 minutes after coming on having been shown two quick-fire and needless yellow cards. Jamie Gittens scored a fourth for Chelsea soon after before Wolfe's second set up a nervy conclusion. The Blues held on to secure a spot in the quarter-finals, though.

While that is one positive, Maresca will be impacted by Delap's decisions this weekend, as he will be suspended which likely puts more pressure on Joao Pedro to feature despite concerns over his fitness. He also admitted that Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo were dealing with injuries.

"Probably they are players that need to be protected for many reasons," he said. "So probably tomorrow we'll see. But yeah, Enzo, Moises, Joao, they are all players that for different reasons we need to protect them.

Maresca was asked about potentially winning the Carabao Cup during his press conference on Tuesday with the Chelsea boss making his feelings clear.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said when asked if the deeper Chelsea go in the competition, the more hungry they are to win it. "As you said, it's three games away from the final - so we need to have a desire to play for that. As we said many times, we need to go game-by-game.

"Now the first one is Wolves. We need to be focused on that. And then hopefully winning the game we can think about the next one."