Liam Delap faces 'six to eight weeks' out with injury, says Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca after win over Fulham
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Updated 30/08/2025 at 20:56 GMT+1
Liam Delap's first-half injury provided a sour note to Chelsea's lively 2-0 win over Fulham in the west London derby. The striker limped off with a hamstring problem and manager Enzo Maresca told TNT Sports that he expects it to keep Delap out for up to eight weeks. The Italian also rejected the notion his side had received the rub of the green from the referee in an incident-packed win.
Highlights: VAR controversy dominates as Chelsea claim derby win over Fulham
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Enzo Maresca has said that striker Liam Delap will be out for "six to eight weeks" with a hamstring problem, while the Chelsea manager rejected the suggestion his side had received favourable refereeing decisions in their win over Fulham.
The Blues ran out 2-0 winners in a lively west London derby on Saturday that left Maresca’s Fulham counterpart Marco Silva lamenting the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and "unbelievable" decision-making from officials.
Early in the game, summer signing Liam Delap limped off with a hamstring problem, a moment that could leave Maresca facing a selection headache in the weeks ahead.
"Yeah, hamstring, it was at full speed, so hopefully it's not long," Maresca told TNT Sports. "But this kind of injury is maybe six to eight weeks."
Maresca was later asked in a press conference about the possibility of dipping into the transfer market for another striker before the window closes on Monday.
"When you have two strikers it's enough. When one of them is injured for different weeks probably it's not enough," he said.
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‘Goal should have stood’ – Carney and Cole agree ‘it’s not a foul’ after Fulham goal chalked off
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"Today we play more than one hour with Tyrique [George] and he did brilliant. The last game he played as a nine was Man United at home last year and again we try to use a different solution.
"If you remember last year we used Pedro [Neto] in some games as a nine. It's because we are always looking for a solution but for sure when you have to proper nine, it's enough."
Maresca was also questioned on speculation that Nicolas Jackson has subsequently been blocked a loan move to Bayern Munich.
"I just finished the game, came here and have no idea. We're going to sit now and we'll see. Honestly, I have no idea," said the Chelsea coach.
Teenager Josh King thought he had fired Fulham in front at Stamford Bridge, but the goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up following a lengthy VAR review, a decision that was criticised by TNT Sports experts Joe Cole and Karen Carney.
Chelsea benefitted from the technology for a second time in the second half, when they were awarded a penalty for a Ryan Sessegnon handball despite Blues striker Joao Pedro appearing on review to have handled the ball first – a call that left TNT Sports commentators baffled.
The Italian downplayed the furore around the officiating when asked if his side had been fortunate with the decisions.
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Fulham fans fume and ‘Silva going to combust’ as another VAR review goes Chelsea’s way
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"I don't think so to be honest, because the foul is a foul, and the penalty is a penalty," Maresca said.
"For me, it is quite clear and if I had some doubt, I would say, but it is quite clear that the foul is a foul and the other one is a handball."
Replays appeared to show the ball striking Pedro’s hand shortly before Sessegnon conceded the second-half penalty, but Maresca thinks the correct decision was made.
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"No, it was quite clear it was handball. Again, the idea was penalty, but then they reviewed it, and it was a bit long to wait to be honest. But at the end, it was a penalty," he said.
Despite the victory, Maresca was not pleased with his side’s first-half performance as they notched a second league win in a row following last weekend’s rout of West Ham United.
"We were not good enough first half, but brilliant in the second half. For me, this is my analysis of the game," he said.
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Watch frustrated Silva's full interview as Fulham boss bemoans VAR and officiating
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"In the first half, we didn't keep the ball, we didn't win duels, and these are the kind of things you need. Second half, we did the right things."
He added: "For me it's quite simple. We didn't play or build the game in the way we prepared to do so. In this kind of game, you need to win duels and second balls, and we didn't win any duels. Second half, we were brilliant."
The win moves Chelsea up to seven points and provisionally top of the Premier League table ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.
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Maresca denies Chelsea got lucky in Fulham win - 'The foul was a foul, the penalty was a penalty'
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Next up for Maresca’s side is a trip to Brentford on Saturday, September 13.
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