Chelsea manager Graham Potter has confirmed that right-back Reece James will miss Saturday’s trip to Leicester due to illness.
James has just returned from a knee injury and his re-discovery of excellent form came at the same time as Chelsea’s first consecutive win since October.
Unfortunately, Potter confirms that James is back on the sidelines for a while.
“Reece is sick so he didn’t train today,” Potter said at Friday’s pre-match press conference. “He won’t make the game tomorrow.”
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Asked for further team updates, Potter continued: “Rahim [Sterling] He’s got a little bit of tightness in his hamstring, if anything there’s tightness, so he’s looking suspicious. [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang has a slight problem with his back and looks like he will miss the game.
,[N’Golo Kante] Will not done [involved], Still need more time to build. We’re probably aiming for Everton. Unfortunately, not for tomorrow.”
Potter, who also confirmed that Mason Mount is not ready to return from injury, admitted that Sterling’s absence in particular could open the door for the winter signing of Mykhailo Mudrić, who has played the last four games on the bench. Has started and gone unused during wins over Leeds and Borussia Dortmund.
“That definitely comes into the equation,” Potter said. “He is a player we trust a lot and has adapted to the new situation.
“When he came, he was really at the start of a pre-season campaign. So it’s not easy to come and hit the Premier League. But day-by-day and week-by-week he is getting stronger. He will be in the team tomorrow and is likely to play.”
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In this edition of Sons of Chelsea, part of the 90min Podcast Network, Daniel Childs reacts to the Blues’ win over Borussia Dortmund, how Mason Mount saved Grahame Potter’s job and more. If you can’t see this embed, click Here Podcast to listen to!