Chelsea handed triple injury worry before Sunderland finale with £60m forward a doubt | OneFootball

Chelsea have fitness concerns over Joao Pedro, Reece James and Levi Colwill before their final-day trip to Sunderland. According to Sunderland Echo, interim head coach Calum McFarlane says selection will be a wait-and-see call.

Joao Pedro, signed from Brighton in a deal worth up to £60m last summer, missed Tuesday night’s 2-1 derby win over Tottenham after a minor knock, leaving his availability for the Stadium of Light uncertain.

Academy graduates James and Colwill were managed carefully, with the captain among the substitutes and Colwill omitted as the club continue to assess his comeback from a long-term knee injury.

McFarlane explained they did not want to risk Pedro given the quick turnaround from the Manchester City game, adding the issue is not a major concern. He said Colwill is returning from a very serious injury and the short gap from the cup final made involvement unlikely. James was kept on the bench for similar reasons after the intensity of the City match.

Chelsea travel to Wearside knowing victory would secure European football, potentially in the Europa League. McFarlane described the situation as wait-and-see and said they are hopeful, but clarity is unlikely until the next couple of days.

Sunderland, led by Régis Le Bris, must beat Chelsea to keep their own European hopes alive. They then require either Brentford to drop points at Liverpool or Brighton to lose to Manchester United, and there is also a route into the Europa League if results fall their way.

Source: Sunderland Echo