Germany national team defender Antonio Rudiger will miss another London Derby clash in the Premier League when his Chelsea side welcome West Ham United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. The Germany international is expected to miss the home clash with the Hammers as he continues to recover from the minor groin injury picked up during the FA Cup semifinal clash with London rivals Crystal Palace last weekend.

Rudiger was one of two major injury casualties at the end of the Palace game as Chelsea booked a final meeting with Liverpool in the FA Cup thanks to the second half goals from the Academy graduate duo of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount. Chelsea are in the FA Cup final for the third successive season and they would be hoping it is third time lucky for them against Liverpool after losing the previous two FA Cup finals.

 

Apart from Germany national team star Rudiger, Croatian international Mateo Kovacic was the other player to pick up an injury during the Palace game in the FA Cup semifinal on Sunday. Kovacic is not expected to return to action until next month at least after he sustained a knee injury during the Palace game.

 

Both Rudiger and Kovacic were absent from the Chelsea squad for the London Derby clash with Arsenal at home earlier this week and they were sorely missed as Arsenal sealed a second successive league win at Stamford Bridge thanks to the 4-2 victory buoyed by the brace from young striker Eddie Nketiah either side of the halftime break. The England international duo of Emile Smith-Rowe and Bukayo Saka (penalty) were also on the scoresheet for the Gunners, while Timo Werner and Cesar Azpilicueta scored for Chelsea during the first half of the game.

 

Rudiger and Kovacic will also miss the West Ham United game at Stamford Bridge this weekend just like they missed the Arsenal game at the same venue.