Chelsea's first-team will be without a key player until April due to a major injury setback.

Unfortunately, it seems that Chelsea's luck has taken a turn for the worse as striker Nicolas Jackson has been sidelined due to a hamstring injury. The injury occurred during their win over West Ham United, with Jackson initially trying to play through the pain before being substituted off in the second half. He was then absent from their recent FA Cup defeat to Brighton and has undergone further assessment this week.

The results of the scans have just been revealed, and it's bad news for the Blues. Jackson is expected to be out until after the international break in March, which means he will miss crucial games against Brighton, Aston Villa, Southampton, Leicester City, and Arsenal. The team will be hoping for his return in time for their match against Tottenham on April 2nd.

This injury comes as a major setback for head coach Enzo Maresca, who now has to come up with a new game plan without his star striker. Jackson's absence will leave a void in the team, as he is the only traditional center forward in the squad. To make matters worse, another player, Marc Guiu, was also forced off the field in the same game against West Ham and is expected to be unavailable for the near future.

In Jackson's absence, it looks like Christopher Nkunku may finally get his chance to shine. The young striker has been impressive in the Europa Conference League and could be the one tasked with replacing Jackson. It's worth noting that Chelsea did consider bringing in another striker during the January transfer window, with Mathys Tel being one of the names on their radar. However, he ended up signing with Tottenham instead.

Maresca will now have to come up with a new solution for their attack, as the Blues were unable to add to their squad during the transfer window. The departure of Joao Felix on loan to AC Milan has also left them short on options. Despite their strong start to the season, Chelsea has hit a rough patch in recent weeks, winning only two of their last eight Premier League games and falling 16 points behind league leaders Liverpool.

Jackson's absence will surely be felt, as he has been a key player for Chelsea this season, scoring nine goals and providing five assists, all in the Premier League. Although he was going through a goal drought before his injury, he has been an integral part of Maresca's attack, starting in every league game except for one. Let's hope for a speedy recovery for Jackson and a return to form for Chelsea.

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