Chelsea fans are sweating over the fitness of Christopher Nkunku with one week to go until the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Middlesbrough. The Blues head into the game at Stamford Bridge 1-0 down having been defeated in the reverse fixture against lower league opposition.

For Mauricio Pochettino it is not only the best chance of silverware this season it is also a chance to prove to supporters that he is the right man for the job after a mixed first six months in charge. Failing to progress to the final next Tuesday would be a hammer blow for the Argentine and even the thought of it piles pressure on his position as manager.

Many have already turned on the head coach after recent results against Everton and Manchester United but the defeat to Middlesbrough saw the biggest negative reaction so far, especially from the online fanbase. Despite securing a fourth win in five games in all competitions with a 1-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday the pressure is still on.

Things don’t get any easier for Pochettino either as he continues to be without a host of key players. Romeo Lavia is still out having only played 30 minutes since arriving at the club in the summer. Ben Chilwell made his first appearance since September against Fulham but Reece James, Marc Cucurella,and Wesley Fofana all remain sidelined.

Nknunku is possibly the most worrying case though. He had strung together some growing gametime over the Christmas and New Year period but hasn’t played in 2024 due to a hip injury picked up in training.

Having missed the first five months of the season with a serious knee problem it is not a welcome site and Pochettino was visibly frustrated by the state of play last week.