Liam Delap is facing another spell out of action after injuring his shoulder in Chelsea’s goalless draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed.
The striker went down in the 30th minute after grappling with defender Marcus Senesi at a corner and left the pitch using his shirt as a makeshift sling.
Teenager Marc Guiu was sent on as his replacement but was ineffective in what was largely a forgettable encounter.
A groin injury sustained playing against Fulham in August has already cost Delap two months of his debut season in blue following his £30million move from Ipswich in the summer, and he is yet to score his first Premier League goal for his new side.
“He was already out two months and he has to be out again,” said Maresca. “We don’t know for how long but it looks quite bad, his shoulder.
“He has been unlucky. We are a bit unlucky because we need that kind of number nine. We tried today it with Marc.”
After a poor first half, Chelsea were much improved after the break and had chances to win it through Pedro Neto, who brought a good save out of Djordje Petrovic with a low drive at the near post, then Alejandro Garnacho who headed Neto’s cross against the post.
Guiu lashed horribly at a loose ball from six yards out sending it crashing against the roof of the stand behind Petrovic’s goal before Cole Palmer, given just shy of an hour on his first start since September, shot straight at the keeper.
Garnacho went close again with a fizzing drive wide of the post after cutting in from the left as Chelsea failed to take advantage of defeat earlier on Saturday for leaders Arsenal.
“We missed some quality in the last third,” said Maresca. “Many mistakes, missed passes in the last third, moments where we could shoot.
“It’s normal mistakes that can happen, the last pass in the last third. Cole was quite good on that, he played an hour today. It’s important for him to build physical condition.
“A lack of quality in the last third but we know that we’re not going to score every game”
Bournemouth, who had dropped to 14th after losing four of their previous five, were the better team in the first half and were frustrated by a fine display from Robert Sanchez, who produced a string of saves to deny Marcus Tavernier, Alex Scott and Antoine Semenyo, who also had a goal ruled out for offside.
Boss Andoni Iraola said: “Probably we were the team closer to winning it. You have to value the point because we were facing a very good team.
“Everyone defensively has done his job. I’m happy because we looked like us, like a solid team.
“It’s a game that allows you to be a little bit more of yourself. Against Everton (a 1-0 defeat on Tuesday) the rhythm was very slow. Today we felt more comfortable, even if it’s Chelsea with top level players. They played closer to a style we prefer.”
