Thiago Silva unlikely to be fit for Chelsea's Premier League match against Sheffield United on Sunday leaving Thomas Tuchel with only three first-team centre-backs.
Thiago was substituted in the 36th minute of Chelsea's 1-0 win over Tottenham on Thursday night with a thigh injury and looked in some discomfort as he was helped off the field.
Speaking after the game, Blues head coach Tuchel admits it's "tight" as to whether the 36-year-old will be able to play at Bramall Lane, although a full assessment won't be properly made until Friday.
"It will be very tight for Sunday," Tuchel said. "It is only in two days but it is hard to give a diagnosis because I saw him only very quickly in the dressing room with a big strap around his muscle.
"We will have to wait until tomorrow (Friday) so we can confirm it but I think for Sunday he is a big doubt and I don't think that he can play."
If Kurt Zouma, who is yet to feature under Tuchel and suffered "a little issue" in training this week, fails to recover that leaves Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta as the head coach's only centre-back options.
That was the back three that finished the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday night but in the German's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation doesn't leave much margin for error.
Should one of those three players sustain an injury, Tuchel will have to change his system and potentially approach.
