LACROIX OUT UNTIL JANUARY: Chelsea Fears Lengthy Hamstring Injury for Defender...

Maxence Lacroix's potential absence until January would sideline Chelsea's most reliable defender just as the squad faces mounting injury concerns. The 26-year-old French centre-back suffered a serious hamstring injury during Wednesday's Carabao Cup loss to Liverpool and has anchored Chelsea's defence since arriving from Crystal Palace for £52 million this summer, starting all but one of their 11 matches. With alternatives Jorrel Hato and Aaron Anselmino also currently injured, manager Xabi Alonso must lean heavily on Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill while the team sits fifth in the Premier League, having kept just one clean sheet in eight league matches.