Chelsea injury update on Azpi, James, Alonso and Pulisic

Chelsea skipper Cesar Azpilicueta is expected to return to his right back berth today, as the Blues head to the South Coast to face Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

The Spain defender has been playing with a niggly injury but head coach Frank Lampard is confident he will be fine.

He said: He felt it at Tottenham and came off towards the end - against Southampton he was feeling it during the game but with Reece James injured the options are less - he's a fighter so he stayed on. At the weekend against Spurs, he said that he felt better so fingers crossed Azpi will be alright.

Reece James, Marcus Alonso and Christian Pulisic also missed the 2-1 win at the Emirates.

Lampard said of the trio: On Reece, hopefully he is out for just a week or 10 days. He's had a bit of a niggle around his ankle injury which he had surgery on in pre-season so that was a bit of a worry, the doctors are saying it will be a week or so.

“Alonso is similar, it is a back - top of the glute - kind of muscle injury. They are both in a similar boat, not terrible injuries but missing at a pretty crucial time.

As for Pulisic, it is a small hamstring [problem]. I wouldn't even call it an injury - after the Southampton game the lads did some strides and he felt cramp.

“He has trained at a low level, for me it was more precautionary against Arsenal. We need our wingers, we need him going into an important period.”