Thiago Silva is perhaps one of the most protected players at Chelsea, even if his minutes for the season don't represent that.
The Brazilian is heading to the World Cup after being named in Tite's 26-man squad for the tournament but faces a serious mental dilemma heading into the final game before the break due to players with unconscious injury. concerns.
There is just eight days between the final league game and England's first of the tournament in Qatar against Iran and after the squads for the competition are announced there is added pressure going into the weekend's fixtures. Silva, who has been played more than Graham Potter would like out of necessity and other injuries, wouldn't be human if he wasn't thinking about what an injury may mean.
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Having already played in seven major tournaments as an international, Silva is one of the most decorated defenders in European football history. But his goal of playing a key role in the 2022 games would be put into jeopardy should he pick up a knock against Newcastle.
He has already had to endure a manic six weeks which will have culminated in 13 matches for his club across three competitions, and at 38-years-old he has played more minutes after 20 games than in the previous two Chelsea seasons.
Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the trip to St James' Park, Silva admitted his injury concerns, saying: "Look, if I tell you that I believe the majority, don’t think about it I’d be lying.
"I think it goes through our head, because every fixture that goes by, an injured one comes out."
Silva has already seen Reece James and Ben Chilwell miss out in the past month due to injuries, N'Golo Kante and Wesley Fofana are both missing the tournament too and Kepa Arrizabalaga's return to form was spoiled somewhat by his own injury which ended any hopes of being in Luis Enrique's squad.
"However, that’s what I say and what I usually think, as much as we have that nervousness, but I think everything is in God’s hands," Silva added. "I think our path is already written.
"But it is something that is visible to everyone, something that has been happening regularly. We are not happy with this kind of situation. But we have a lot of faith in God that things will work out."
With the players missing for Potter already and Kalidou Koulibaly's own fitness and fatigue concerns on top of Silva's overall importance to Chelsea, he is almost certain to play against Newcastle in what feels like a must not lose game - only adding to the strain already on his body.
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