Tammy Abraham suffers training ground setback as he re-aggravates ankle injury

Tammy Abraham has suffered a cruel injury set-back after breaking down in training ahead of yesterday’s win over Sheffield United.

The Chelsea striker hasn’t played for a month owing to a troublesome ankle injury, that also caused his non-selection for England last week.

But the striker was on the verge of a return to the squad but Tuchel has revealed Abraham was forced to pull out of training on Saturday after complaining of pain in his problematic joint.

‘He quit training yesterday after only five mins of the warm up so there was no chance he could join the squad,’ explained Tuchel.

‘It is more or less the same injury. He re-injured it a bit in a training accident exactly on the same spot where the first injury was so he is pain.’

Abraham now has the international break to return to fitness and Tuchel added: ‘First he needs to be fit, second he needs to take it step-by-step train well and fight for your way back.

‘The wayback is then maybe be a substitute and to be hungry and full of quality in training. These are the next steps but this is not the moment for him to worry abut the first XI because he has been out now for many games and unfortunately for too many games.

‘It’s absolutely not his fault, he. Is hungry to come back and he tries all the time. But this is the risk in pushing the players to be back as soon as possible.

‘We thought he would be in the squad today but he had the accident in training - it’s nobody’s fault.

‘Now is kind of a restart and he can use the two weeks to get fit again.’

And in another blow Tuchel has revealed No 1 keeper Edouard Mendy will miss international duty with Senegal this week to undergo dental surgery.

But Hakim Ziyech will meet up with Morocco this week despite the Covid concerns associated with travelling to International matches this week.

‘Edouard will be available for after the International break, that’s why we do it now,’ said Tuchel.

Yesterday’s win over the Blades has booked Tuchel’s first trip to Wembley - for the FA Cup semi final.

He said: ’I think I’ve never been to Wembley before as manager - only as a spectator. It’s also a big personal target but also target of the club.’

On his side’s exit, interim Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom said: ‘It's a sickener but there are a lot of pleasing things. We more than deserved extra time.

‘We want to look forward and take the positives.

‘We'll never get a better chance, I don't think we started in the first half but we had a go second half and I was pleased with the response.

‘I'm encouraged, it's been another week of turmoil and adversity, the boys we have put out today were in make shift positions at times but they showed a fight and willingness.’