Antonio Conte has revealed that Chelsea's clash against Arsenal on Saturday will come too soon for skipper John Terry to return to action.
The centre-back missed Chelsea's 2-1 home defeat to Liverpool last Friday and was replaced in the heart of defence by David Luiz, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day.
Luiz was criticised for his performance in some quarters, with suggestions Chelsea may not have lost if Terry had played, with the Blues vulnerable to crosses and set pieces.
But Conte will not have Terry to call upon against Arsenal this weekend, meaning Luiz is likely to start again.
"He's working, but he didn't recover for the game against Arsenal", Conte told a press conference.
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"I don't know [when he will be back] because in this case, it's important what the player feels and the pain he feels", the Chelsea boss added.
Chelsea will be looking to bounce back in the Premier League following their defeat to Liverpool, though they do go into the Arsenal clash full of confidence after putting Leicester City out of the EFL Cup in midweek.
Conte's men had their unbeaten record ended by Liverpool, in Terry's absence, but still boast ten points from five games.
