Chelsea without three players for Leeds United trip after fresh injury blows

N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic are both expected to be absent after the former was forced off with a hamstring issue against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

The Frenchman was replaced by Conor Gallagher after 84 minutes as the Blues drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur on a controversial afternoon at Stamford Bridge.

Kovacic has been kept out by a knee injury this season while Armando Broja – a 90th-minute substitute last weekend – is also expected to be absent against Leeds.

"We're talking about weeks, which is not good news,” said the ex-Borussia Dortmund and PSG boss on Kante’s injury.

"We're disappointed and sad because N'Golo was super fit. Armando will be out for days, Kovacic still has knee problems."

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Tuchel was left unimpressed by Mike Dean admitting he made a mistake on Cristian Romero’s hair pull on Marc Cucurella.

The Chelsea boss revealed he was underwhelmed by VAR official Dean’s comments accepting he should have ordered a review of Romero’s tussle with Cucurella in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham.

Romero pulled Cucurella to the ground by his hair before Harry Kane headed in an added-time leveller at Stamford Bridge.

Tuchel and Antonio Conte were both sent off at full-time in the fall-out, with the Blues boss immediately lamenting Kane’s goal standing.

Both managers expect to receive FA sanctions after being charged for their dugout clashes, but the two coaches also hope to avoid touchline bans.

Dean admitted he should have asked referee Anthony Taylor to review the Romero-Cucurella incident on the pitchside monitors, which might have allowed Chelsea to play out a 2-1 victory.

Tuchel admitted he could not take much solace in Dean admitting a mistake over an incident he considered so clear and obvious at the time.

“Well hopefully I’m not too honest, but if the mistake is that big and that obvious what’s the point of not admitting it if the whole world sees it?” said Tuchel.

“I struggle to be fully impressed by the statement. It’s so clear and obvious I cannot understand how a referee cannot make the right decision.”