Premier League

CHELSEA fans have been left distraught after Ben Chilwell was ruled out for a month with injury.The defender was forced off the field in Wednesday’s 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Brighton.
Ben Chilwell has been ruled out for a month with a hamstring injuryCredit: Getty
Chelsea were unable to make a sub, having used all their replacements, and were forced to finish the game with ten men.
There were fears that Chilwell, 26, had hurt his hamstring following a late lunge.
And the Standard claim the England star has indeed tweaked the key muscle, with scans ruling him out of action for the next month.
It’s the latest in a long line of hamstring problems for Chilwell, who was crowned Chelsea vice-skipper by new boss Mauricio Pochettino.
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
He missed 20 games last season with the same issue.
That’s after suffering a ruptured cruciate ligament in 2021, ruling him out for over six months.
However, it’s believed Chilwell’s latest hamstring injury is not as bad as first feared.
He will certainly miss the next two games against Fulham and Burnley.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Chliwell came off during Chelsea’s Carabao Cup win over BrightonCredit: Alamy
Chilwell is also highly unlikely to make the cut for next month’s internationals with England.
But that gives him time and space to potentially recover for the crunch home game against Arsenal on October 21.
And even if he misses the Gunners match, Chilwell could yet be involved in matches against Brentford and Blackburn at Halloween.
The ex-Leicester man has made six appearances for Chelsea this term, playing further up the pitch as a left winger with mixed results.

Blues fans were left devastated by the news about his injury though.
One said: “Just as he was starting to heat up.”
Another declared: “These injuries, honestly…”
One noted: “Thank god it’s not more than that.”
Another added: “There goes our vice captain.”
Chelsea have been plagued by injuries this season, with Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Romeo Lavia yet to make an appearance.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Reece James, Benoit Badiashile and Carney Chukwuemeka are also sidelined.
While the likes of Armando Broja and Noni Madueke have barely featured after only just recovering from their respective setbacks. More

CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU has posted a picture from his home gym as he continues to step up his injury recovery.The Frenchman joined Chelsea in a £52million deal from RB Leipzig during the summer.
Christopher Nkunku posted an update from his home gymCredit: Instagram @c_nkunku
He is yet to make his Blues debut after suffering a serious knee injury in pre-season.
Nkunku, 25, was forced to undergo an operation in early August and isn’t expected back until December at the very earliest.
Prior to Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest earlier this month, boss Mauricio Pochettino admitted that Nkunku was still in the “early stages” of his injury recovery.
But the France international appears to be keeping in good spirits.
READ MORE ON CHELSEA
Last night he posted a picture of himself in his home gym, wearing a white training shirt and shorts.
He smiled for the camera, captioning his post: “Homework.”
Chelsea’s attack has struggled without Nkunku so far this term.
The Blues sit 14th in the Premier League having won just one of six matches.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
They have managed five Prem goals so far this term – while Nkunku bagged 23 in all competitions for RB Leipzig last season.
Nkunku isn’t the only player that Pochettino has had to do without.

Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Reece James are all long-term absentees.
While, like Nkunku, Romeo Lavia is yet to debut for his new club.
Carney Chukwuemeka has also been missing with a knee injury.
Nkunku, 25, sustained a knee injury in pre-seasonCredit: Getty More

ASTON VILLA are set to end their Castore kit deal early, according to reports.Players from both the men’s and women’s teams have complained the wet-look shirts brought in for this season are affecting performance levels.
Players have complained the new wet look shirts are affecting performancesCredit: Getty
Several fans and kit experts have noticed that Villa’s Castore jerseys seemed to cling to the players’ bodies, with one supporter suggesting it looks “like they just came out of the bath.”
Talks have taken place between the club and the manufacturer and it appears the long-term deal between the pair will be terminated at the end of the season, according to The Telegraph.
However it is not clear whether such talks were fuelled by the problem with this season’s shirts.
Castore have responded to the controversy by stating they intend to “address this issue as quickly as possible to meet the standards we expect”.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
The British company is also exploring short-term fixes ahead of the weekend, which will see Aston Villa Women open their WSL campaign against Manchester United.
A Castore spokesperson said: “There has been some media speculation about a potential issue in the football kit supplied by Castore to Aston Villa Football Club.
“We are working closely in collaboration with the club to address this issue as quickly as possible to meet the standards we expect. We would like to thank the club for their patience and support to date.
“As a proud new British brand, we always hold ourselves to the highest of standards and strive to do everything we can to constantly improve the performance of our products. This means addressing any customer concerns with promptness and humility.”
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
Aston Villa could now begin searching for a new manufacturing partner and could follow in the footsteps of Newcastle, who also cut short their deal with Castore to team up with adidas.
That’s because Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris owns a stake adidas, who also make Arsenal, Manchester United, Fulham and Nottingham Forest’s kits.
Castore produce kits for one other Premier League club – Wolves. More

NEWCASTLE fans have been warned their Saudi owners could rip the “soul” out of the club once the “honeymoon” is over.Former Sunderland owner Sir Bob Murray says the ­new regime could turn out to be even worse than hated predecessor Mike Ashley.
Former Sunderland chief Sir Bob Murray believes Newcastle’s Saudi owners are capable of doing harmCredit: Getty
The Saudis took over Newcastle in October 2021Credit: Getty
Ashley once led a CONGA through the Toon boardroom after a derby victory.
But Sir Bob said: “Mike Ashley can only live so long — the Saudis aren’t going anywhere.
“Newcastle might never have another owner in the next 1,000 years. Why would they get bored?
“Fans are still on honeymoon and the Saudis are capable of doing harm.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“Most of my best friends are Newcastle fans. I’m not being tribalistic, I’m just genuinely concerned where it might end up.
“It’s not going to be pretty.”
Sir Bob, 77, added: “I’m worried about the changing fabric of football — shouldn’t we be using our beloved game to put the reputations of these countries in order?
“We had the honour last Friday at the Stadium of Light of hosting, in front of a full crowd, the Lionesses.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
“Up the road Saudi Arabia played friendlies against Costa Rica and South Korea at St James’ Park.
“Who knows where it’s going to end? Probably with more clubs losing their soul, like people tell me they fear is happening at Newcastle.”
Sir Bob became Sunderland chairman in 1986 and was responsible for moving the Black Cats from Roker Park to the Stadium of Light.
They finished seventh in the Premier League two years on the bounce before the wheels fell off and the Mackems ended up in League One.
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has the Championship Wearsiders back on track at long last, but Murray is deeply concerned about the owners involved in today’s game.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund bought an 80 per cent controlling stake of Newcastle just under two years ago, with the Gulf state accused of multiple human rights atrocities.
Sir Bob, whose autobiography is out next month, set up the charitable Foundation of Light in 2001, which does wonders to tackle the “biggest societal challenges” across the North East.
And he added: “Sportswashing is a huge concern.
“It started with Roman Abramovich buying 20 ­trophies at Chelsea.
“Then, there were the World Cups in Russia and Qatar.
“And, now, there is an increasing trend of mainly Arab states trying to improve their tarnished reputations through sport.
“Saudi Arabia now buying up talent in football is just the next stage.
“It goes back to the old chestnut of fans not being able to influence the thing he or she loves.
“In fact, it’s even worse — supporters are now turning their heads and not looking where the cash is coming from as long as they are winning trophies or qualifying for Europe. That’s the ultimate triumph of sportswashing.”
And what of that incident with Ashley after a Toon win over Sunderland at St James’ Park?
Sir Bob, who was no longer chairman, recalled: “Mike came into the boardroom with his black and white shirt on with a group of friends, jumping up and down going ‘E-I-E-I-E-I-O’.
“He then led a conga line around the table that we were ­sitting on.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“It was the worst defeat I’ve ever felt as a supporter, and then he did that.
“Sir Bobby Robson was also there as a guest. He came up to me and said, ‘I’ve got to apologise, that’s the worst behaviour I’ve ever seen in a boardroom’.” More