MORATA MISERY

Chelsea star striker to miss six games

CHELSEA fear £70million striker Alvaro Morata will miss at least a month with a hamstring strain.

The forward, with seven goals in eight matches since joining from Real Madrid, limped out of Chelsea’s 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City on Saturday after only 10 minutes.

Manager Antonio Conte claimed after the game that withdrawing Morata (right) had been precautionary, but after a scan in Madrid yesterday the Spanish FA revealed that the 24-year- old has a grade two hamstring tear.

Morata is poised to miss home and away Champions League matches against Roma, as well as Premier League clashes with Crystal Palace, Watford, Everton and Bournemouth. His injury leaves Chelsea with only Michy Batshuayi as a recognised striker, after Diego Costa’s return to Atletico Madrid last week and Conte’s failure to sign a backup forward in the summer.