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No Silva lining for Blues

Influential defender Thiago Silva has joined Chelsea’s long list of injury absentees after damaging ligaments in his knee during last Sunday’s defeat to Tottenham.

The Brazilian, 38, went down clutching his knee and was forced off in the first half of the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with his team-mates going on to lose 2-0.

Some reports indicate the Blues fear they could be without the centre-back for up to six weeks and he joins the likes of Christian Pulisic, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic on the treatment table.

A club statement read: "Having sustained a knee injury during the first half of Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, Thiago underwent further assessment and a scan on his return to the training centre on Monday.

"Scan results from those assessments have confirmed damage to Thiago’s knee ligaments and he will now work closely with the club’s medical department during his rehabilitation to return to action as soon as possible."

Alaba defends Benzema snub

Austria captain David Alaba says it was a team decision to vote for Lionel Messi over Real Madrid pal Karim Benzema as the Men’s Player of the Year at the FIFA Best Awards.

Alaba, 30, received abuse on social media for not choosing his Los Blancos team-mate.

All national team captains were given the chance to vote for their top three performers in each category, with the defender opting for Argentina World Cup winner Messi over Benzema, followed by France forward Kylian Mbappe in third.

Defending his decision, Alaba said: "The Austrian national team vote for this award as a team, not me alone.

"Everyone in the team council is able to vote and that's how it's decided.

"Everyone knows, especially Karim, how much I admire him and his performances and I have often said that for me he is the best striker in the world, and that is still the case. Without doubt."

Dyche wants to put things right

Sean Dyche wants to improve Everton’s mentality in away games as he looks to improve the Toffees’ dismal record on the road this term.

The Merseysiders head to leaders Arsenal tomorrow as overwhelming underdogs having not won on the road in the league since beating Southampton on October 1.

Though the Emirates looks an unlikely place to end that run, Dyche knows how important it is to change his side’s fortunes ahead of a winnable trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The 51-year-old said: "It’s about going into these games with the belief in what we do, mainly the consistency of performance home and away.

"It’s well known that apart from the pandemic season, most clubs have stronger home form and there are all sorts of scientific reasons for that. Players have higher testosterone levels playing in front of home crowds and all kinds of different things.

"But you can still have a good away record by structuring the team, suggesting the team maybe works in different ways, but mostly mentality is important.

"You want players to go away from home with a strong jaw and a strong mentality to what it’s going to offer you and that’s something we need to build here.

"We’re in the early process of doing that. It’s about having that ability to go away and still deliver on a consistent level and with that edge because it’s important — particularly away from home — to have that edge in your play.

"At home the crowd can give you that edge. When you’re away, you have to bring it through the collective on the pitch."

Fab out for Hammers

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his cheekbone and eye socket in the Hammers' win over Nottingham Forest.

The Polish international was replaced by back-up stopper Alphonse Areola in the 69th minute after a nasty collision during last Saturday’s 4-0 victory at the London Stadium.

He is one of three first-team players David Moyes will be without for tomorrow’s FA Cup fifth-round clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Vladimir Coufal was withdrawn at the interval and is another absentee, while striker Danny Ings is cup-tied having represented former side Aston Villa in the third round.

The Glaswegian boss said: "We’ve got a few injuries, Lukasz Fabianski has got a fractured cheekbone and eye socket. We don’t know whether it will be operated on yet.

"Vladimir Coufal has got a heel injury, I think that’s really the two injuries we have from the weekend. Danny Ings is cup tied."

New karting track at Spurs

Tottenham have announced plans to build a karting track under their stadium as part of a new 15-year partnership with Formula One.

The electric course, which is set to be the longest indoor circuit in London, will be installed underneath the South Stand.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: "Since building this stadium our ambition has always been to see how far we can push the boundaries in delivering world-class experiences that will attract people from around the world all year round.

"We have been able to bring the biggest names in sport and entertainment to London N17. 

"We are extremely excited about what this long-term partnership with F1 will bring for our global, national and local communities."

Karius still dreaming of happy ending

Loris Karius believes his career can still have a happy ending despite suffering further final heartbreak in last Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.

German stopper Karius, 29, was handed a surprise opportunity to atone for his calamitous Champions League final performance for Liverpool five years ago when he started for Newcastle against Manchester United at Wembley.

He ended up on the losing side once again as Casemiro and Marcus Rashford sealed the victory for the Red Devils but acquitted himself well on his first competitive appearance for almost two years.

The Magpies keeper said: "If we had won the cup, it would have been a great story, but unfortunately it’s not the dream ending.

"But who knows? Maybe we’ll be here again next year with Newcastle, maybe I’ll play another one. You never know. 

"The last week showed me again that in football, anything is possible, up and down, so who knows?

"I’m not writing anything off, so hopefully the story will have a very good ending one day."