Chelsea right-back Reece James is set to be absent until after the upcoming international break after suffering another injury setback, football.london understands.
Thomas Tuchel confirmed the blow in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, revealing that the 22-year-old had hurt muscles in his right leg.
James had only just returned to action following a hamstring injury suffered at the end of December in their clash with Brighton at Stamford Bridge.
He came off the bench against Liverpool and Luton before being restored to the starting XI for the trip to Burnley on Saturday, a match in which he was instrumental.
James scored the crucial opening goal and assisted one of Kai Havertz's two goals as the Blues won 4-0 at Turf Moor.
Thursday night sees them take on another relegation candidate in Norwich at Carrow Road, but Tuchel confirmed that they would have to make do without their talismanic wing-back.
“Everybody was on the training pitch today except for Ben Chilwell and Reece James, who has a muscular problem after his three matches – not his injured leg, the other leg," he told his pre-match press conference.
"We need examination. We thought he could be on the pitch today but he couldn't. We need further examination to see what is going on.
"He felt it during the match [against Burnley] so that's why we took him out and it didn't get better. So we are worried. But still, we need some more details and some more information.
"It was obvious what he gives to our team and can give to our team. So it's not good news at the moment."
But football.london can now report that James will be missing until the end of the international break.
That means he will miss clashes with Norwich and Newcastle in the Premier League as well as the trip to Lille in the Champions League and Middlesbrough match up in the FA Cup.
