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• Maresca confirms James will miss Leicester clash with hamstring injury

  Enzo Maresca confirmed that Reece James has suffered another hamstring injury and will miss Chelsea's Premier League fixture against Leicester City on Saturday. 

  James made 11 appearances in all competitions last season before undergoing hamstring surgery, which was designed to help him overcome his series of injuries.

  He returned to action in Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last month, completing his first 90 minutes in 569 days a week later against Newcastle United. 

  Though his latest injury setback is his eighth hamstring problem in four years, while also picking up thigh, ankle and muscle issues along the way. 

  Maresca played down concerns about a long-term lay-off but confirmed James will miss Saturday's match at the King Power Stadium. 

  "We have just one injured player and that's Reece, who unfortunately felt something small in training two days ago, and we don't want to take a risk for the weekend," he said.

  "It's a hamstring, muscular problem. We will see, we don't know for how long, for sure [we want him fit for longer]. At the moment it is not happening, but we hope it will happen soon.

  "He is out this weekend, but hopefully he can be back soon. It's probably difficult that he can be available for the Conference League [next Thursday], but hopefully soon."

  Since his debut season in 2019-20, James' most appearances came in the 2020-21 campaign, featuring 47 times in Chelsea's Champions League winning season. 

  His best run of matches during that time is six in May 2021, but he managed just 482 minutes under Mauricio Pochettino in all competitions last season. 

  James has, however, managed more minutes (6138) in the Premier League since the 2020-21 season than any other player in the current Chelsea squad, though Enzo Fernandez (4375) is second, despite only joining the club in January 2023.

• Maresca feels regret at Joao Felix's lack of Premier League game time

  Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has admitted that he is struggling to keep all of his talent happy ahead of their game against Leicester on Saturday.

  The Blues' first-team squad page listed 43 players at the start of the season, with 10 players having joined over the summer.

  As a result, this has meant limited game time for some of the club's more senior players, such as Joao Felix who is yet to start a Premier League game since joining permanently in summer.

  Despite this issue, Chelsea have started the season well and currently sit third after 11 matches, but Maresca feels a tinge of regret at not being able to involve everyone.

  "I feel a shame for Joao and I would like to give him more minutes in the Premier League but we need defensive balance and we cannot play with Joao, Cole [Palmer], Christo [Nkunku]," he said.

  "I’d like to put all of them on the pitch but then you need to defend, and you need the right balance.

  "I don’t have any doubts that if Joao keeps working well, he will find his moment in the Premier League."

  Leicester manager Steve Cooper, meanwhile, will have to pick his team up following a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United prior to the international break. He will have to do so without key player Ricardo Pereira, who is out for four months with a hamstring injury.

  "It's a real blow for everybody, and especially him. We'll all be with him now in his recovery," he told BBC Sport.

  Having kept just one clean sheet in 11 league games, Cooper is also aware of where his side need to improve.

  "We're not going to hide away from the chances and goals we're conceding, and we'll keep showing intent to improve that," he said.

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Leicester – Jamie Vardy

  Vardy is 37 years old, but tops the scoring charts at Leicester having netted four goals in the Premier League.

  He has opened the scoring on one occasion this season and has a conversion rate of 33.33% having scored his goals from 12 shots on goal.

  Chelsea – Cole Palmer

  Palmer ranks fifth in the Premier League top scorers so far this season, having scored seven goals. He also ranks equal-second for goal involvements, having added five assists alongside his goals.

  The Chelsea forward has had at least three shots in five of his last six league games and ranks fourth for total shots in the Premier League with 36.

  MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN

  Chelsea earned a 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal in their last match before the international break, which left them third in the table and four points behind second-placed Manchester City

  That draw means that Chelsea have lost just one of their last 10 league games (W5 D4), which came against league leaders Liverpool in October.

  Chelsea have lost just one of their last seven away games against Leicester (W4 D2), winning four of their last five meetings overall.

  Leicester are winless in their last 13 Premier League games against sides starting the day in the top four of the table (D3 L10). They come into this with three defeats in their last four matches in all competitions (D1).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Leicester – 19%

  Draw – 21.6%

  Chelsea – 59.5%

• Jonathan David names Barcelona as dream club amid Lille uncertainty

  Jonathan David admits it is his dream to play for Barcelona as he prepares to enter the final six months of his Lille contract.

  The Canada international is into his fifth season with the Ligue 1 side but is due to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign.

  Lille have attempted to persuade David with a new deal, though he looks set to depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2025 – potentially as early as January if a club is prepared to pay a transfer fee.

  However, while the 24-year-old is seemingly open to a move to Barcelona, he suggested he would prefer to wait until the end of the campaign before taking the next step in his career.

  "Going to a club midseason is never easy," he told The Athletic. "It's not like the beginning of a season where you have a pre-season, you get to know your team-mates, you have time to gel. 

  "In January, things are very hectic. It's about right now. It's tougher."

  "[Barcelona] was always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it's your dream to play for them.

  "Some people might say, 'Oh, he's staying at Lille, this is a downgrade, he's not getting better'. But for me, there's always opportunities to get better."

  David has scored 13 goals in 19 games for Lille in all competitions this season, including goals against heavyweight sides Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.

  Including penalties, eight of those goals have been scored via his stronger right boot, four with his left and one with his head – an area the forward accepts he can still improve.

  "Aerially, I can get better," he said. "Getting that header on target and scoring. 

  "I can get in good positions and win headers but the finishing touch, I'm still missing. With my back to goal, I can also get better."

  David is averaging a goal every 112 minutes across all competitions this season, which compares to one every 139 minutes last season and 131 in 2022-23.

  However, he still has some way to go to match the 18 goals scored in 27 league games for former club Gent in 2019-20.

  "Things are good right now because I'm scoring goals," David said. 

  "But is this the best I've played in my life? Probably not. For me, it was my second year in Belgium. That was the season of my life."