Thomas Tuchel has confirmed the England international was forced off with injury and it is one not related to the slight muscle problem that had led to his withdrawal during the FA Cup win over Plymouth a week earlier.‘He was injured,’ said Tuchel, reporting on this latest setback. ‘In one of the very first scenes he made a run to the second post with Cesar Azpilicueta and they fell and his opponent fell on his ankle and he hurt his ligaments badly.

‘So we’ll have to see. He came straight to me and said it does not feel good, it feels very stiff and painful, and he did not know if he can continue so we had to make the decision.’The next match for Chelsea is next weekend when we take on Crystal Palace away in the Premier League.