Head coach Graham Potter has delivered a mixed injury update regarding his Chelsea squad ahead of Saturday's game with Aston Villa.
Chelsea return to Premier League action against opponents who sit on the same points, the teams occupying 10th and 11th position in the standings.
Potter has had to cope with countless injury issues since his arrival in September, the population of the treatment room proving to be a hindrance despite the amount of players that have moved to Stamford Bridge.
At his pre-match press conference, Potter was asked to provide updates on a significant number of players, and the Englishman began by ruling out Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Silva continues to recover from a knee injury sustained versus Tottenham Hotspur at the end of February, while Azpilicueta has not featured since suffering concussion against Southampton eight days earlier.
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Meanwhile, Raheem Sterling has been ruled out due to the hamstring injury that he sustained before the international break, the England international not featuring since the win over Borussia Dortmund on March 7.
Potter says that the meeting with Villa has come too soon, although he revealed that Sterling may be available for the match with Liverpool on Tuesday.
The same applies to Wesley Fofana, who suffered muscle fatigue versus Everton on March 18, with Potter suggesting that the Frenchman's hamstring still 'feels tight' ahead of the weekend.
Christian Pulisic is also a doubt due to "a heavy cold", with the United States international to be assessed, but Kai Havertz is said to have recovered from a fever.
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Reece James was forced to withdraw from the England squad for last Sunday's fixture with Ukraine, a consequence of an ongoing issue with his hamstring.
However, Potter revealed that the right-back has come through two training sessions and is likely to be available for selection.
The same applies to Mason Mount, who has been sidelined for a number of games due to a pubic issue, but Potter expects to have the playmaker in contention for a place among the replacements.
Potter added that N'Golo Kante, who came through 60 minutes during a behind-closed-doors friendly last week, is likely to play some part of Saturday's encounter.
Darren Plant
