Romeo Lavia's withdrawal at half time of Chelsea's win against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon was precautionary, boss Enzo Maresca revealed.
Tottenham had taken a 2-0 lead after just 11 minutes, but a resurgent second-half display ensured that the Blues took all three points back to Stamford Bridge, with the visitors ultimately winning 4-3.
The result means that Chelsea are second in the Premier League after 15 matches, just four points fewer than leaders Liverpool.
However, midfielder Lavia did not appear in the second half, but Maresca has insisted that the Belgian's issue was only minor, telling reporters: "Unfortunately he felt something in his hamstring in the last minutes of the first-half. Now, he's walking without any pain. It was a small thing.
"Since we started, I don't like to lose players for five, six, seven games in a row. Even if Romeo was playing fantastic, we tried to change because he had a problem."
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Strength in depth
Lavia's substitution was ultimately not costly, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandes taking control in the second 45 minutes, the latter of whom scored Chelsea's third of the match.
The duo have faced significant criticism since their arrival at Stamford Bridge, but Fernandez has already scored three goals and produced eight assists for the Blues this season, while Caicedo has been praised for his excellent performances with and without the ball.
Maresca has not chosen the same double pivot in midfield in any of his side's last six games, but his team still managed to win five times.
The Chelsea boss has previously noted the improvement's from Fernandez in terms of his attacking output, but has also highlighted his improved understanding of his midfield role, saying: "[Fernandez] is improving a lot especially in terms of understanding the game and the position.
"This is what we need from the attacking players. He has many things he can do better but not only him, all of the players."
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Chelsea title charge?
Maresca appears to have succeeded where Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Frank Lampard failed, with the Italian maximising the immense talent at his disposal.
Though Liverpool have a game in hand on Chelsea, it is difficult to count the Blues out of the title race, especially after both Arsenal and Manchester City dropped points against Fulham and Crystal Palace respectively.
Chelsea are also the league's top goalscorers having found the back of the net 35 times this campaign, and with their schedule relatively more straightforward than the likes of Arsenal, who have to compete in the Champions League as opposed to the Conference League.
One area of concern for Maresca could be his side's defensive showings, as while their record of 18 conceded is the joint third best in the top flight, they have kept just three clean sheets in the Premier League this term.
Regardless, Chelsea are certainly well positioned to capitalise should Liverpool drop more points, and there is no reason to think the Blues cannot have a successful 2024-25 season.
Lewis Nolan
