Reece James is missing from Chelsea’s squad for Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Leicester because of illness.
James reported a fever and temperature on Saturday and was checked by the club’s doctor both last night and on the morning of the game, with the decision taken that the Blues captain is not fit to play.
Whether James would have started in any case is unclear, with Enzo Maresca having been particularly cautious with the Englishman’s workload given his prolonged struggle with a series of hamstring injuries.
James played the full 90 minutes in midfield during Chelsea’s Conference League last-16 first leg win over Copenhagen on Thursday night, scoring the opening goal, and Maresca has tended not to risk the 25-year-old in successive games in the same week.
He had also impressed in midfield in the defeat to Aston Villa last month but was rested for the comfortable win over Southampton in between those games.
In better news for Chelsea, Wesley Fofana returned to the starting XI for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in early December.
The Frenchman was also an unused substitute against Southampton and was not eligible to face Copenhagen as he is not registered in Chelsea’s European squad, but will make his comeback against his former side.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Fofana, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Sancho, Palmer, Nkunku; Neto
Subs: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Antwi, Badiashile, Chalobah, Amougou, Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall, George
