Chelsea will visit hawthorns without Central defender Andrea Christensen after the Danish Centre back recently returned to training on Friday. Christensen have been out for 2 games now with the Danish international Christensen limping off with a hamstring problem in the first half of the shock 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth when the game was goalless, before missing the subsequent 4-1 thrashing at Watford.
Antonio Conte admits Andreas Christensen has become an important player for Chelsea after the defender’s injury absence coincided with two humiliating defeats. “I don’t know. It happened in the last two games,” said Conte with the Italian admitting that the London based outfit have not conceded much goals in the past when Christensen played.“It’s right to look at the stats, but we have to take the stats in the right way. “But Christensen is an important player for us. “He’s playing a fantastic season.” The Former Borussia Monchengladbach loanee lack of match fitness in the last game at Vicarage road afforded David Luiz a chance to fight for his spot in the first team as the Brazilian was handed his first league start for the club since late October. Though he had a poor outing on the night, he will certainly have a second chance to prove himself as UEFA champions league knockout phase draws nearer.
Christensen is not the only first team player out of the Clash as Tiemoue Bakayoko is ruled out as he serves his one-match ban and long term absentee Alvaro Morata. Morata have struggled with his back injury which has kept him in the sidelines as no possible date have been fixed for his return. Conte on Friday further confirmed that he does not know how long Morata’s back injury could be with the striker likely to be ruled out of the UEFA champion’s league first leg tie with Barcelona. Morata’s injury means that January signing Olivier Giroud will be handed a full league debut on Monday as Conte looks for 3 point to save his job.