Enzo Maresca reveals extent of Liam Delap's injury

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed a worrying injury blow for the club, revealing that striker Liam Delap is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury.

The setback occurred during Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday, forcing the summer signing to be replaced just 15 minutes into the match.

Speaking after the game, the Italian manager revealed the status of Delap’s injury.

"His injury doesn't look good. He was full speed [and did his] hamstring, so that requires weeks," Maresca said in his post-match press conference.

The injury is a bitter pill to swallow for both Delap, and for Chelsea, who now face a striker shortage.

The club recently finalised the sale of Christopher Nkunku to AC Milan, while Nicolas Jackson is reportedly set to join Bayern Munich on a loan deal.

This leaves the team with only Joao Pedro as the only fit senior striker.

Delap, a £30 million signing from Ipswich Town, now faces a tough road to recovery in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge. While the team secured an important win against their London rivals, the loss of Delap leaves Maresca with a major tactical headache and puts immense pressure on the remaining attacking players to step up in his absence.