Mikel and Essien both out for season

Chelsea have received another double injury blow as both John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien are ruled out for the rest of the season.

Mikel was taken off against Spurs with a tear in his knee, and said after the game: “It’s a little tear in the knee meniscus,”

“I won’t play this weekend and the doctors say it will take about three weeks to heal, although there will be no surgery.”

Michael Essien was hopeful of returning to the Chelsea squad a couple of weeks ago, but now he is seriously worried about not even recovering in time to play at the World Cup this summer.

“The World Cup is the best and most difficult football tournament in the world and I would rather be there fully fit,” he said.

“We will just have to wait and see. If not I’ll have to sit at home and support the team like every Ghanaian.”

Essien is Ghana’s top plaayer and will be a great loss for the first ever World Cup in Africa.