Chelsea FC have been dealt a big blow ahead of the hectic festive fixture schedule after star defender, Wesley Fofana suffered a hamstring injury in the Blues’ 3-0 win against Aston Villa on Sunday.

The 23-year-old went down clutching his right leg following a duel with Ollie Watkins, ultimately being replaced by Benoît Badiashile in the second half.

Fofana, who has endured a series of injuries in recent seasons, had been enjoying a strong run of form this year, starting 12 Premier League matches.

However, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca confirmed post-match that the defender is expected to miss up to 10-12 games, calling it “a big loss” for the team.

While Fofana described it as a “slight muscle warning” on his Instagram story.

In his absence, the Blues must rely on Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi or Benoit Badiashile to cover for the French international.

Despite the blow, Chelsea cruised to victory with goals from Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez, and Cole Palmer, maintaining the third position in the table level on points with Arsenal who are in second and nine points away from league leaders Liverpool.