Enzo Maresca offers worrying Malo Gusto injury update after Fulham comeback | OneFootball

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has admitted the muscle injury Malo Gusto suffered against Fulham is simply "not a good one".

Gusto came off the bench at half time, replacing Reece James after the Blues captain was caught in possession for Fulham's goal and playing an integral role in willing Chelsea on to a 2-1 comeback victory.

Unfortunately, Gusto would not make it to the final whistle, dropping to the turf with one minute to go and limping off to be replaced by Tosin Adarabioyo for the final few moments.

Maresca was quick to highlight Gusto's recent influence on the team as he admitted Chelsea are likely to be without the French full-back for the foreseeable future.

"Unfortunately it's not a good one, a muscle problem," he told the media.

"You can see - against Ipswich, second half he was inside, changed the game, today he was inside, changed the game - how important Malo is for us and unfortunately it looks like a muscle injury."

James was caught out for Fulham's opener / Ryan Pierse/GettyImages

Maresca stressed that Gusto's introduction in place of James was not a response to the Englishman's first-half error, but simply part of the long-term fitness plan to try and keep James healthy after years of serious muscle issues.

"Fantastic, very happy because [James] played 90 minutes two days ago and played again 45, so for us as a team it's an important moment, because we can start to think about him every three days and this is fantastic for us because he's our captain, he's a main player, fantastic player so it's good news," he reflected.

"Then it can happen, we conceded the first goal when he lost the ball, it can happen and the reason why we changed him was not just because he played 90 minutes two days ago, 45 and that was the plan."

The win keeps Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification. Maresca's side ended the weekend in fifth - England's top five will qualify - but could be as low as seventh by the next time they play. Nottingham Forest will play their game in hand against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday and Aston Villa can leapfrog the Blues with a point against Manchester City on Tuesday.