Cole Palmer has not trained with team-mates since picking up his muscular problem before the international break, leaving Chelsea sweating on their playmaker’s availability for next week’s showdown with arch rivals Tottenham.
The injury forced Palmer to miss his team’s last Premier League loss at Arsenal nearly two weeks ago, as he was then unable to join up with Thomas Tuchel’s and England for the World Cup qualifiers with Albania and Latvia.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca has continued to work at Cobham with those who likewise did not travel away for international duty, including Nicolas Jackson, the striker who is expected to be ready to return for Tottenham after two months on the sidelines.