Update on Thiago Silva injury after win over Tottenham

Chelsea could be left with just two fully fit senior centre-backs when they travel to face Sheffield United on Sunday.

Thiago Silva hobbled off in the in the first half of the Blues' 1-0 win at Tottenham on Thursday night with a thigh injury. The Brazilian veteran had stayed down having stretched to cut out a long ball in 36th minute and was replaced by Andreas Christensen.

Speaking after the game, Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel said the 36-year-old was a 'big doubt' for the trip to Bramall Lane, potentially leaving him with just two fit central defenders in Christensen and Antonio Rüdiger.

Kurt Zouma missed the London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having failed a late fitness test alongside Kai Havertz, so could well be a doubt on Sunday.

Speaking to Chelsea's official website, Tuchel said: "It will be very tight for Sunday’s game, only two days recovery.

"It is too early to give a diagnosis because I saw him very briefly with a big strap around his muscle. We will have to wait until tomorrow [Friday] so we can confirm it but I think for Sunday he is a big doubt."

Silva had been having a fine game before he was forced off, with the interception that caused the injury typical of his disruptive influence on the Spurs attack in the first period.

Chelsea's back line looked far less confident without the experienced campaigner at the heart of the defence - especially when playing out from the back - although his replacement Christensen did settle into the pace of the game well and was rarely tested.

At the other end of the pitch, the Blues struggled to create chances despite dominating possession, and the German coach added that this was something they would work on.

"We lacked a little bit of precision in the box and composure to make it 2-0 and to score more goals and decide the match, so the second half was a bit hard," he said.

"We need to create more clear chances, this is the objective and the job from me. One of the hardest things in football is to score and keep calm, but we have trust in our players and we will work to create more clear chances, and to be more effective, but in general everyone wants to score with every half-chance but it is not like this in the Premier League."