Reece James' injury worries may well be less severe than first thought after images of the right-back emerged online earlier this week.
The photos of James, who remained in Milan the day after Chelsea's 2-0 victory over AC Milan at San Siro in the Champions League, show the star not only walking around the city, but also boarding a flight back to England a day later than his teammates.
Although some have speculated that this was in order to get a scan on his knee after going off injured during the match, the fact that James was able to freely walk around indicate that perhaps the early scare is not as frightening as it could have been.
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The 22-year-old went down after landing awkwardly on a straightened knee in the second half of the match with his side already two goals up. James was able to get up and continue but was later substituted after failing to properly recover on the pitch.
The injury and the sight of a Chelsea fullback on the floor with a knee injury against Italian opposition during a statement win brought back memories of Ben Chilwell's season-ending blow against Juventus at Stamford Bridge almost a year ago. James' knock doesn't appear to be that bad.
Whilst the rest of the Chelsea side travelled back on the night of the game, James was seen on-board an EasyJet flight from Milan to Gatwick the following day. Not only does his walking suggest that he might be better than first feared, fans were quick to joke that the airline's cramped leg room wouldn't be suitable for someone with a serious injury.
The early reports around James also suggest that it isn't as bad as it could have been. Although Sunday's trip to Villa Park may well be too soon, James could return for Chelsea's heavyweight clash against Manchester United on October 22nd, or even for the short journey to Brentford days earlier.
His status is still vitally important for Graham Potter who has seen James quickly become a key player, arguably being the best performer under the new manager so far. A long-term injury to Wesley Fofana - one that is likely to keep him out until the winter World Cup - means that right-sided defenders have become of heightened importance, though Trevoh Chalobah has remained unbeaten in a Chelsea shirt after impressive performances in the last week, and Cesar Azpilicueta proved his worth at right-back against Wolves last weekend too.
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