Chelsea will be without midfielder Frank Lampard for three weeks with the thigh muscle tear he suffered while training with the England team.

Lampard, 31, suffered the injury to his left leg while training with the Three Lions in Doha ahead of Saturday’s friendly against Brazil.

He was assessed by Chelsea’s medical staff on Friday who believe he could return within three weeks – countering media reports earlier in the day which had suggested more than twice that amount of time on the sidelines.

If the three week absence is accurate it would rule him out of four Premier League games and Champions League game against Porto.