Chelsea’s Pulisic faces two months out with knee injury

Christian Pulisic faces up to two months out with a knee problem, according to Graham Potter.

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Chelsea boss Potter suggested Raheem Sterling would be out for a shorter period but that the England forward’s injury is still being assessed.

Both players went off during the first half of the recent home defeat by Manchester City, with Sterling suffering a hamstring injury.

It added to Chelsea’s injury woes, with the likes of Reece James, Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante, Wesley Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek already unavailable.

Potter said: “Christian’s a couple of months, we think. Hopefully less, but that’s the time frame there.

“Raheem, less, but still evaluating the actual extent of it. But hopefully less than that.

“We’re making progress – Ruben is getting closer, Ben Chilwell’s getting closer, Reece was out on the grass today – not training with the team, but training on his own – and N’Golo has been out training on his own but has still got a long, long way to go.

“It felt a bit more positive to see the boys out there and it gives people a lift.”

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was taken off during Sunday’s FA Cup loss to City after being brought on as a substitute. 

Potter said the striker “is fine and will be in the squad” against Fulham.

New signing Joao Felix has trained with the squad and Chelsea are waiting to discover whether the Portugal international’s signing was completed in time for him to be available for Thursday’s derby.