Emerson out for ´a few weeks´ but Lampard hopeful over Christensen

Emerson Palmieri has been ruled out until after October’s international break, but Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard is more hopeful over Andreas Christensen’s recovery.

Both players were substituted in the first half of the Blues’ 2-1 Premier League defeat at home to Liverpool on Sunday, Emerson hurting his thigh and Christensen damaging his knee.

The Italy international has emerged as Chelsea’s first-choice left-back this term while Christensen has started five out of six top-flight games since Lampard took charge.

The defensive duo will miss Wednesday’s EFL Cup match at home to Grimsby Town, though Lampard expects the Dane to return before Emerson.

“Andreas is not too severe. Hopefully he won’t be out for too long, but I can’t give a timeframe,” he told Chelsea’s official website.

“Emerson now won’t be back until the other side of the international break [in mid-October].

“It will be a few weeks because it is the reoccurrence of an injury so we have to be a bit careful with it.”

5 more years!!! pic.twitter.com/PUb8FQap6p

— Callum Hudson-Odoi (@Calteck10) September 19, 2019

Chelsea will welcome Callum Hudson-Odoi back from a long-term injury against Grimsby, with Reece James among the other young players set to feature at Stamford Bridge.

“He can play in different positions,” said Lampard of James, who is yet to make a Premier League appearance but thrived on loan in the Championship for Wigan Athletic last term.

“His favourite position is right-back or right wing-back and he played there a lot in our successful youth teams. He can also play in holding midfield as he showed at Wigan.

“He is strong, has really good quality on the ball in terms of the delivery he can put in from the sides. He is good in the tackle as he is a powerful boy.

“I was really impressed with him as a young player before he went to Wigan and also from how he responded to the Championship, so it is up to him now to try to make an impact on the squad here.

“It will be an opportunity to blood young players in this game and it is a competition we want to be competitive in. It does give a good feeling. I saw Chelsea get to the final last year and beat Tottenham in the semi.

“I saw how Stamford Bridge was celebrating that, and the team was slightly unlucky to lose to Manchester City in the final [on penalties]. We will try to be competitive and at the same time as giving the youngsters a go, we will try to win, as a club like Chelsea should always do.

“I have nice memories of the two finals I won. It is a competition that is difficult to win but we have to give it everything.”