Thiago Silva could be set for an extended spell on the sidelines after Chelsea confirmed the defender damaged knee ligaments in their defeat at Tottenham.
Silva, 38, went down clutching his knee after an awkward fall in Sunday’s London derby, which forced him off inside the opening 20 minutes.
In his absence, Graham Potter’s side went on to suffer their third straight loss as second-half goals from Oliver Skipp and Harry Kane sealed a 2-0 victory for Spurs.
And if a run of one win in 11 and as many goals scored in six wasn’t grim enough for Potter, the under-fire Blues boss is likely to be without Silva for a number of weeks.
While the problem is not long-term, the Brazilian is understood to be looking at around six weeks out of action depending on how his rehabilitation goes.
The London club confirmed Silva has suffered knee ligament damage in a statement on Tuesday, yet no timeframe has been set for his return.
‘Having sustained a knee injury during the first half of Sunday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur, Thiago underwent further assessment and a scan on his return to the training centre on Monday.
Scan results from those assessments have confirmed damage to Thiago’s knee ligaments and he will now work closely with the club’s medical department during his rehabilitation to return to action as soon as possible.’
Silva has made 26 appearances for Chelsea this season and remains one of the first names on their team sheet at the age of 38.