FOOTBALL NEWS - Chelsea's squad is being stretched thin and the strain is beginning to show on manager Antonio Conte ahead of Wednesday's Champions League home clash against Roma.
The Italian will be without several key players for the Group C match at Stamford Bridge which follows hot on the heels of Chelsea's shock 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

That loss was Chelsea's third in eight matches in the Premier League this season - only two less than the whole of the last campaign when Conte took them to the title in his first year in west London.

Striker Alvaro Morata missed the Palace defeat but is expected to face Roma, although N'Golo Kante and Victor Moses are both out with hamstring injuries that could sideline them for several weeks at a crucial stage of the season.

Midfielder Danny Drinkwater is also still missing.

Conte, who appeared underwhelmed by Chelsea's summer squad-strenghtening with a return to Europe looming after last season's absence, said he was left with few options.

"When there are injuries of this type, it's very difficult for us. This is the situation and we must overcome it and try to do our best," he told a news conference on Tuesday.

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