LONDON - England are likely to be without Ben Chilwell at the World Cup after the left-back pulled up with a hamstring injury in Chelsea's 2-1 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.
Denis Zakaria scored the winner on his Chelsea debut as the Blues came from behind to beat the Croatian champions at Stamford Bridge.
But the night ended on a sour note for Chelsea and England when Chilwell, 25, had to be helped off the field in stoppage time to seemingly spoil his hopes of going to Qatar.
"It doesn't look positive. It's a hamstring," said Chelsea boss Graham Potter.
"We will have to scan it and see how it is."
Chilwell, who has 17 caps for the Three Lions, was part of the England squad that reached the final of Euro 2020.
England open their campaign against Iran in less than three weeks.
Zagreb had more to play for with Chelsea already assured of top spot in Champions League Group E.
Victory would have secured Dinamo a place in the Europa League knockouts and they made a flying start when Bruno Petkovic headed in after seven minutes.
Defeat in the Croatian capital when the sides last met in September was the final straw for the Chelsea board before they sacked Thomas Tuchel.
New boss Potter was beaten for the first time in 10 games in a 4-1 thrashing on his return to Brighton at the weekend.
Potter named a stronger-than-expected line-up in response and two of his star names combined for the equaliser as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's backheel teed up Raheem Sterling for his first goal in nine games.