Reuters/Paul Childs
Chelsea captain Reece James was conspicuous by his absence from the squad for the game against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
The Blues returned to Premier League action on the back of three games without a win in the top flight, having suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Brentford just prior to the international break.
Manager Xabi Alonso announced before the game that the team was expecting to welcome back several players from injury for the game against the Cherries, including the likes of Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, who had withdrawn from international duty.
Alonso also stated that he expected to have Moises Caicedo and captain Reece James fit and available for the game following recent knocks, but the skipper was not named in the matchday squad at Stamford Bridge.
Now, it has been revealed that the defender-cum-midfielder has picked up another injury.
"Reece James picked up a small injury in training yesterday and misses out," journalist Nizaar Kinsella reported on the BBC live blog prior to kick-off.
Jamie Gittens was also absent after suffering an ankle injury while on international duty with the England Under-21s, while Marco Palestra rejoined the squad alongside Caicedo, Pedro and Palmer as a substitute.
It's unclear what the injury suffered by James is, or how long it will keep him out for, but it was enough to mean he wasn't even named as a substitute.
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James Injury a Major Blow for Alonso
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With Alonso admitting that he sees James as more of a midfielder than a defender in his system, and revealing that he believes he could become one of the best midfielders in the world, it's a big blow to have him absent.
Chelsea started with Jordan Henderson and Caicedo in the heart of the midfield, with Valentin Barco and Romeo Lavia providing depth on the bench, but James' leadership and quality on the ball are hard to replace.
His injury record is well documented throughout his career, and the Blues will be hoping that it is nothing serious, as they prepare to take on Everton, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Manchester United in their next four fixtures.
The Blues started the game without him well, however, taking a 2-0 lead inside the opening three minutes thanks to goals from Henderson and Morgan Rogers.