Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has announced that Cole Palmer will not be fit to play for up to three weeks with a groin injury - and listed new injury problems for Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana to plunge the Blues into crisis.

Maresca today said: 'We decided to protect a little bit Cole in terms of his injuries not getting worse. We decided to rest him for the next two or three weeks before the international break to see if he can recover 100 per cent and be fully fit.

'I don't think he needs surgery. It's a matter of managing his pain in his groin, with the amount of games, it is something that can happen.'

Fofana has a concussion while Tosin's unspecified injury will also keep him out until after the international break.

Benoit Badiashile and Romeo Lavia are closing in on injury returns but look very unlikely to be fit to start against Brighton on Saturday. Liam Delap and Dario Essugo are on Chelsea's long-term injury list while Marc Guiu and Josh Acheampong have been out recently. On-loan Facundo Buonanotte cannot play against his parent club.

More to follow.