Chilwell appeared to pull his hamstring during the injury time at Stamford Bridge and with England’s opener against Iran on November 21, it looks highly unlikely that the defender will recover in time to be considered for Gareth Southgate’s side. It is the latest blow for Chilwell after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury last November that kept him out until May. When asked how serious the injury looks, Potter said: “It’s not great. Obviously, when it pulls up like that it’s a concern. Obviously, we need to scan it but it’s not positive right now. “It’s a blow for us on an otherwise positive night. To see him get up like that is not a great sight. So when we scan it, it’s not too bad. It might not be that serious, but we have to keep our fingers crossed right now. But clearly, we are disappointed. “I talked to him for a while. He just felt something as he started. He is disappointed and upset.” Chelsea overcame a troubled start to the Champions League, which began with a defeat in Zagreb, to safely reach their group – after back-to-back wins against AC Milan – and this win, albeit with minimal risk, was the one needed . response after hitting Brighton on Saturday. However, Potter may have feared the worst after Bruno Petkovic’s early header raised the possibility of an unlikely double for Zagreb. Chelsea rallied and responded, with Raheem Sterling scoring a timely equalizer after a goal drought stretching back to mid-September. Denis Zakaria capped his Chelsea debut by scoring the first-half winner. The home side had more chances to add to the lead but were largely indifferent after a dismal start to close out the group stage with a fourth win. Raheem Sterling equalizes for Chelsea in the first half at Stamford Bridge. Photo: Peter Cziborra/Action Images/Reuters Zagreb’s passionate fans could certainly be heard, with a roar behind the goal, despite their team topping the group. Zagreb fans could not have imagined a better start at Stamford Bridge, with their side stunning Chelsea after just seven minutes. Sadegh Moharrami floated in a deep cross and César Azpilicueta could only inadvertently push the ball back into danger, off the top of his head, with Petkovic heading past Édouard Mendy. Chelsea quickly responded with a silky equaliser. Jorginho teed up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the striker flicked the ball into Sterling’s path for a low shot into the corner of the net. It was a much-needed finish from the England striker after scoring his first goal since Potter’s opening game against RB Salzburg in September. Start your evenings with the Guardian’s view of the world of football Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Kalidou Koulibaly spurned a chance, with the towering defender heading over the bar from a Chelsea corner. The home side went close again from Havertz’s cross, but Sterling could only send his half-volley harmlessly wide. But Chelsea’s next attack paid off with Mason Mount cutting the ball back and Zakaria’s low drive into the net despite Moharami’s desperate attempt to block the effort on the line. Zakaria’s patience has paid off after his long wait to play for Chelsea following his loan move from Juventus. Mendy was called into action at the start of the second half with the goalkeeper forced to save Josip Sutalo’s low header. At the other end, Aubameyang was hopelessly unlucky after cutting inside and curling a long-range strike onto the upright. Chelsea were threatening to open up their tiring opponents and Aubameyang released Chilwell but the left-back’s powerful strike hit the side-netting. Mount almost extended Chelsea’s lead from a free-kick on the left edge of the area, but Dominik Livakovic reacted sharply to turn the ball around the post. Thiago Silva came off the bench and the defender missed a glaring chance late on when he went wide from a free-kick. Chelsea were denied a third goal in stoppage time after Conor Gallagher’s close-range effort was saved by Livakovic. Rain fell in the latter stages but could not dampen the spirits of the raucous traveling fans as they chanted songs despite their team’s exit from Europe. For Chelsea, there are much tougher challenges ahead, with Monday’s draw likely to provide a stronger test for Potter’s side.
