Ruben Loftus-Cheek was replaced by Thiago Silva inside the opening five minutes of Chelsea's clash with Newcastle United. The 26-year-old has done well to evade injury in recent times despite an injury-ridden past.
He went down unchallenged after beginning to limp. The cause of Loftus-Cheek's discomfort remains to be seen but the midfielder was pictured to be clutching at his calf.
The Cobham graduate, who was once infamous for picking up knocks, has featured 19 times for Chelsea across all competitions this season, directly contributing towards one goal. With fewer injuries to worry about, Loftus-Cheek has become a key piece of the Blues success in recent times, operating at both centre-midfielder and right wing-back.
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His last considerable injury which kept him out of the Chelsea side was prior to the January transfer window. The Blues overcame Tottenham at Stamford Bridge with no Loftus-Cheek in the squad.
The midfielder was also absent for the FA Cup tie against Plymouth and didn't travel with the first team to the Club World Cup. football.london understand that the England international has been nursing an Achilles issue - but not with the one he ruptured in 2019.
Loftus-Cheek underwent treatment at Cobham and, until the clash with Newcastle prior to the World Cup, he's since been in excellent condition. Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Chelsea's blockbuster bout against high-flying Newcastle, he revealed the moment that Thomas Tuchel told him he'd be playing as a wing-back - the role he, ironically, starred in against the Magpies.
"I didn't know what to think of it," Loftus-Cheek said. "I'd never played in the back-line in my professional career. In the modern game the wing-backs are influencing a lot in the final third. It's not like a proper defender. It's like a hybrid - can attack and defend.
"I played there and I played well am comfortable anywhere on the pitch," he added. "But I have always been a centre-midfielder. I can affect the game with my physicality most there, when I am able to get up and down in both boxes."
Then, speaking on the aforementioned Achilles injury he picked up in 2019, Loftus-Cheek said: "I didn't know what to think because I'd never had an injury like that. All your weight goes through the Achilles.
"It's where the stiffness comes from, the power, which is my game. If I didn't have the power, then what can I bring?"
The World Cup couldn't have come at a better time for Loftus-Cheek who now has an extended period to rest and regather himself. He greatly impressed in recent months and Potter will be hoping to see the powerhouse return to action as soon as possible!
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