Looks like it’s another night of hugging the hot water bottle for Michy Batshuayi.
With Alvaro Morata given the night off after picking up a minor back injury, everyone thought Chelsea’s Belgian forward was certain to start away to Huddersfield tonight.
The Blues only really have two natural centre-forwards and so when one is ruled out, the other is an assumed starter.
Not in Antonio Conte’s world.
The Italian gaffer’s disdain for Batshuayi reached a peak when he opted to name Pedro and Willian as Eden Hazard’s forward partners at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Chelsea fans were left in disbelief on social media…
Batshuayi has always expressed his joy at being given the chance to play for Chelsea and his goals-to-minute ratio has earned him a reputation as something of a supersub.
But with a World Cup on the horizon, the 24-year-old will be desperate for more game time than he receives under Conte.
And if the title-winning manager doesn’t believe Batshuayi is the right selection for a Premier League game against Huddersfield when the only other player in his position is unavailable, you’d have to say his future at Stamford Bridge looks bleak.
The former Marseille hitman scored a hat-trick in the EFL Cup earlier this season and poached a famous last-gasp winner away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Last season he flourished late in the campaign, scoring the title-clenching goal at the Hawthorns.
He’s also endeared himself to fans with his social media activity but it appears his days in blue are numbered.
However, if Chelsea fail to get a result tonight, and fall further behind in the title race, then it may be Conte’s employment at risk instead.
Pass the hot water bottle…
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