Frank Lampard is hoping that N'Golo Kante can get a rest over the international break in order to recover from his multiple injuries this season.
The 28-year-old has had a frustrating start to the 2018/19 campaign with an ongoing knee injury, while then spraining his ankle so that he wasn't in the matchday squad for the 3-2 victory at Norwich City.
Since joining Chelsea in the summer of 2016, Kante has been a constant presence in the Blues team, while also featuring heavily for France on their way to World Cup glory last year.
France play Albania and Andorra in European Championship qualifying next month, with Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps expected to call up his key man, Kante.
But Lampard is hoping that Kante gets a break so that he has the time to fully recover from his recent injury issues.
"It's a difficult one," Lampard said. "It's been four years of constantly playing and the injury from the Europa League final affected his pre-season. Then he hurt himself against United.
"We’re trying to get him through it. Today [Saturday] was too painful.
"The international break will be great for him to get the injury right. It would be great for everybody because he’s been playing game after game after game."
Meanwhile, Lampard also confirmed that it would be 'tough' for Pedro to be fit for Sheffield United next weekend due to the hamstring injury he picked up in the warm-up ahead of Norwich City.
England boss Gareth Southgate is also set to name his England squad for the games against Bulgaria and Kosovo, and with two goals each, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham has certainly put themselves in the frame.
"It is Gareth’s [Southgate] shout. I would hate to second guess or have a headline to say what his squad should be. He’ll watch games," Lampard said.
"I know that they know a lot about Mason. Tammy’s already been in squads, so I’d be delighted if they are but if they’re not in this one because the competition is big for England, if they keep going I’m sure they will get that recognition.
"I’ve said it a lot last year. Being called up for his country, that’s hopefully going to come pretty soon again. He [Mount] can go absolutely to the top.
"I don’t want to heap expectation on him. But I will tell him that every day because I feel it, and when someone’s humble and hard-working like him, it doesn’t matter."
