Palmer, Caicedo, Delap - Chelsea injury news and return dates for Brentford

Chelsea return to Premier League action this weekend with a late kick-off against Brentford on Saturday evening.

The Blues make the short trip across west London to the Gtech Community Stadium having won two of their opening three games, with a draw against Crystal Palace the only thing separating them from Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.

Enzo Maresca will be keen to ensure his side do not lose momentum ahead of a tough run of fixtures, with back-to-back trips to Bayern Munich and Manchester United up next.

But there is the small issue of the international break getting in the way of that. A number of the Blues' stars will have had to travel long distances over the two-week pause in domestic top flight fixtures, and then there are the players in the squad currently recovering from injury issues.

So here we take a look at the latest Chelsea injury news and possible return dates ahead of the clash against Brentford.

Cole Palmer

The Blues' talisman missed both the wins against West Ham and Fulham, pulling out of the warm-up ahead of the clash at the London Stadium. As a result, Palmer pulled out of the England squad for the internationals against Andorra and Serbia.

Maresca said ahead of the clash against Fulham: "Cole, we need to see day by day." In addition, the attacker has posted an update on his social media, stating simply: "Back soon." It looks likely that he will return against Brentford.

Possible return date: Brentford, September 13

Liam Delap

The summer signing was forced off in the 2-0 win over Fulham. Delap immediately grabbed his right hamstring after chasing an early long ball.

Maresca confirmed afterwards that the English striker would be out for six to eight weeks.

Possible return date: Unknown

Romeo Lavia

Lavia's injury problems in west London have held him back from producing a serious run in the team. The midfielder has not played since the Club World Cup win over Benfica due to a muscle issue.

Maresca said before the win last weekend that he hoped the Belgian would be closer to a return after this month's international break. However, he won't return straight away with Chelsea expected to build his fitness up.

Possible return date: September/October

What Maresca has said: "I'm always worried but with Romeo and Benoit, because it is a long time out, it is normal they need time. It's the same what we're doing with Wes [Fofana].

"Romeo and Benoit, I don't think they will be back after the international break but they will be closer."

Benoit Badiashile

Like Lavia, Badiashile has missed the start of the season due to a problem picked up in the win over Benfica. Levi Colwill's anterior cruciate ligament injury means the Blues could do with the former AS Monaco defender being back.

The central defender is hoped to be back after the international break.

Possible return date: September/October

What Maresca has said: "I'm always worried but with Romeo and Benoit, because it is a long time out, it is normal they need time. It's the same what we're doing with Wes [Fofana].

"Romeo and Benoit, I don't think they will be back after the international break but they will be closer."

Moises Caicedo

Caicedo missed Ecuador's 0-0 draw against Paraguay on Friday. It is believed to be a cautionary move, with his country having already qualified for next summer's World Cup.

The Chelsea star was then seen in training ahead of the clash against Argentina with a knee protector on. Clearly, he's not at 100% fitness, but the fact that he is readying himself to potentially face Lionel Scaloni's team is a positive.

Whether or not he plays overnight on Tuesday remains to be seen. But regardless, Chelsea will face a decision on his participation against Brentford given the lack of preparation time after arriving back from South America with little turnaround time.

Possible return date: Brentford, September 13

Dario Essugo

The midfielder has unfortunately sustained a knock on international duty with the Portugal Under-20s. The team released a statement confirming that he had been replaced in the squad.

"The Chelsea midfielder was excused from training due to a muscle problem in his right thigh, which he suffered after training on Monday. The athlete was evaluated by the Portuguese Football Federation's Health and Performance Department on Tuesday morning and was declared unavailable."

As a result, it looks unlikely he will be in contention to make his first appearance for the club against Brentford, having been on the bench for the opening three fixtures.

Possible return date: Unknown

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