'Lesley, Carney injured' - Pochettino bemoans absence of Super Eagles-eligible midfielders after Liverpool defeat 

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino addressed the media on Tuesday, on the eve of his side's Emirates FA Cup fifth round clash against Leeds United and one of the questions he was asked was about the injury situation in the squad. 

The Argentine football tactician could not call upon the services of two Super Eagles-eligible central midfielders for Chelsea's painful 1-0 loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup showpiece at Wembley on Sunday. 

England youth international Carney Chukwuemeka is recovering from an ankle injury while France U21 international Lesley Ugochukwu is sidelined due to a hamstring injury.

Pochettino noted that the two holding midfielders that started against Liverpool, Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo, were fatigued during the game but could not be replaced because Chuwkuemeka, Ugochukwu and Roméo Lavia were unavailable for selection.

Another tired midfielder, Conor Gallagher subbed out to be replaced by a winger, Noni Madueke in the 97th minute. 

In quotes relayed by Football.London, he stated: "When we started extra-time, Gallagher and Chilwell were not available for different reasons.

"Another player like Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill or Disasi, or even Moises Caicedo or Enzo, they were tired and we didn't have from the bench because Lavia is injured, Lesley is injured, Carney.

"There is too many players we didn't have in this moment to help the team, to put some energy in the middle, to keep pushing."

Ugochukwu has yet to make his FA Cup debut for Chelsea while Chukwuemeka has played one game which came against his former employers Aston Villa in the fourth round on January 26.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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