Chelsea defender suffers hamstring injury blow

Chelsea defender Reece James has been forced to withdraw from the England squad following a minor hamstring injury.

The right-back has been hampered by injuries throughout the campaign and he has suffered another setback in training.

James was expected to be involved against Ukraine and he will now return to Cobham for a series of medical tests.

The exact timescale for his recovery is unknown, but he could be facing a race against time to face Aston Villa next weekend.

If James is unfit, Ruben Loftus-Cheek could start from the right wing-back position against the West Midlands outfit.

Chelsea are presently 10th in the Premier League table. They are already 11 points behind the Champions League positions.

A top-four finish seems improbable at the moment and they may have to win the Champions League to play in it again.

James is a pivotal figure for them in defence. His creativity and defensive contributions have been key for the club.