Chelsea handed Lesley Ugochukwu boost for Southampton clash amid Premier League loan rules | OneFootball

Lesley Ugochukwu will not be able to face Chelsea when Southampton travel to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Southampton, who are currently bottom of the Premier League, make the trip to the capital to face an out-of-form Chelsea side who are on a run of three straight defeats in all competitions.

Chelsea were defeated by Brighton & Hove Albion twice in the space of six days, before conceding a 90th minute goal against Aston Villa on Saturday to lose 2-1 at Villa Park.

Despite Southampton's current position and with just two league wins to their name this season, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca insists Tuesday will serve as a tricky test for the Blues.

"I really think that (it will be tricky)," insisted Maresca. "It is football. You are older than me, I guess, and you know better than me that football is full of these kinds of things. I'm not saying that for a message, I'm saying that because I really believe every game is a tough game.

"The difference sometimes is so tiny and as I said, if you see the Man United game, they were winning until the end and then Man United won the game. We need to focus on how we need to win the game and no more than that."

Maresca's message to his Chelsea squad is clear: Be more ruthless in both boxes. / IMAGO / Sportsphoto

Chelsea are without Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Romeo Lavia, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu due to injury. However, the hosts have received a boost of their own since Ugochukwu, who joined on loan for the season from Chelsea last summer, is not available to be selected by Saints boss Ivan Juric.

Why can't Lesley Ugochukwu play for Southampton against Chelsea?

Due to Premier League loan rules, Ugochukwu is ineligible to play against his parent club and will therefore be unavailable for selection.

Ugochukwu will return to selection contention for Southampton's fixture against league leaders Liverpool at Anfield next weekend.