Chelsea will not fall to pieces over six games without N’Golo Kante

Danny Drinkwater should return from injury before N’Golo Kante. Chelsea’s newest former Leicester City midfielder is more than adequate compensation for the other in the upcoming run of games.

N’golo Kante’s hamstring injury couldn’t have come a better time for Chelsea. After picking up the injury on international duty with the French national side, the midfielder is set to miss the next six games.

Coming so soon after a similar problem suffered by striker Alvaro Morata, the hamstring appears to be this season’s fashionable affliction. It’s not just Chelsea’s players suffering from muscular injuries at the back of the thigh. Across the Premier League and across Europe there has been a spate of hamstring strains, with Liverpool’s Sadio Mane being the latest victim.

In Kante’s case, his absence for a few games will give his old Leicester colleague Danny Drinkwater a chance to be integrated into Antonio Conte’s formation. Drinkwater is not yet cleared to play, which is doubly unfortunate considering how Roy Hodgson’s struggling Crystal Palace side make a perfect opponent for a debut.

However, Drinkwater will likely enter the squad before Kante returns. With Drinkwater lining up alongside Tiemoue Bakayoko or Cesc Fabregas, his integration should be seamless. There can be no one better to fill Kante’s boots than someone who played alongside the Frenchman for two seasons at Leicester City. The two were instrumental in the Foxes amazing Premier League title win in 2016.

It would be harsh to say Crystal Palace will be a pushover on the weekend. After all, they beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge during last season’s Premier League run-in. This Palace side, though, are different gravy. The problem for Roy Hodgson is that it’s not a particularly good gravy. Seven league games have resulted in seven defeats, with no goals scored and seventeen conceded.

Following on from the Palace game, Champions League football is back at Stamford Bridge against AS Roma. The Italian side have made a reasonable start to their Serie A campaign, currently sitting in fifth. They also have a 100% away record: four games on the road have delivered four victories. Although, in their previous Champions League game away in Azerbaijan against Qarabag, they scraped by to a 2-1 win.

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Chelsea defeated the Azerbaijanis 6-0 in their recent encounter, albeit with home advantage. The Champions League stage should not hold any fear for Drinkwater, given the experience he picked up during Leicester’s European campaign last season.

Back to domestic duties, Watford visit Stamford Bridge in the next Premier League matchday. This game will be harder than it should be given the Blues’ recent difficulties at their home ground. Stamford Bridge is certainly no fortress this season, having already experienced two defeats.

Assuming his progress keeps apace, Drinkwater should be well in the groove by this stage in his integration process. If Drinkwater’s time is going well, Kante could be worrying about regaining his place in the starting XI. If not, the Italian may look at Drinkwater, not like what he sees, and hit the dump button.

Next up is the third game at home in a week. This will give Conte the chance to fully rotate his squad, when Everton are the visitors in the Carabao Cup. England’s second cup competition gives managers a chance to play some of their development players and lesser squad members.

Danny Drinkwater’s role in this match will give a good indication of Conte’s view of him. If he misses this game, Conte considers him part of the A team. If he plays, it’s the B team for Drinkwater.

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The fifth game Kante would miss is away at Bournemouth, who are currently propping up the league table with Crystal Palace. There are no easy games in the Premier League. But the games that Chelsea’s midfield dynamo is missing could have dealt a much sterner test.

The final game of the six is away in the Champions League against Roma. Chelsea have started strongly in the world’s top club competition, and a draw ought to be good enough to secure a spot in the knock-out phase of the tournament.

Should Kante be fit to return after those six games, he will be well-rested and raring to go. Chelsea face Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United side at home. United have started the season well, but they have yet to face a real test. Kante could slot back into the side next to his old compadre Drinkwater, giving Chelsea supporters a chance to see the two old Leicester City amigos ply their trade in another blue shirt.

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There is a downside, though. Following the United game, there is yet another international break, which could see the whole sorry injury process begin once again.