Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic out for three weeks with hamstring injury
The right-back's place in Jose Mourinho's side has been questioned this season
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic is expected to be sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury.
The Serbian defender picked up the injury during his national team's 2-0 victory over Albania last Thursday and has since returned to London for scans.
Despite usually being a dependable and commanding presence at Stamford Bridge, vice-captain Ivanovic's form has been poor this season and many Chelsea fans have questioned his place in the side.
With Ivanovic's absence now certain, manager Jose Mourinho is expected to hand a first Premier League start to left-back Baba Rahman, who recently signed for the club for £21m from Augusburg.
Rahman's installation into the back four would see Cesar Azpilicueta switch to his natural position of right-back, in a move that many of the club's supporters have recently demanded.
The defending champions' defence, once thought of as near-impregnable, has conceded 17 goals in the league so far this season, the second-highest total in the division.
Mourinho has been reluctant to replace Ivanovic and bring Rahman into the side. The 21-year-old Ghanaian has only started against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League and against Walsall in the Capital One Cup since his arrival.
When questioned on his selection policy, the Blues boss cited Rahman's relatively short height and inexperience in the Premier League.
"Because Baba Rahman arrived in the last day, because he doesn't know what is is to play in this kind of championship," Mourinho said earlier this month.
"He had no pre-season with us. He needs time to learn, he needs time to adapt. If you don't have a minimum of five tall players good in the air, you are dead in set-pieces.
"When I play Azpilicueta on the right and Baba Rahman on the left and I don't play Ivanovic, I have only three, not ever four (players who are in the air). So we have to think about all the details. And I think about all the details.'
It has also been suggested that Mourinho is reluctant to play Azpilicueta on the right-hand side because, in his natural role, the Spaniard is prone to advance higher up the pitch and compromise Mourinho's typically solid defensive line.
Chelsea return to Premier League action on Saturday when they welcome Tim Sherwood's Aston Villa side to Stamford Bridge.
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