Antonio Conte has delivered two damning post-Crystal Palace assessments of his Chelsea players and is already looking to replace Michy Batshuayi in January as he attempts to cope with injuries and the club’s busy fixture schedule.

Victor Moses became the third Chelsea player in two weeks to suffer a hamstring injury and is set to miss at least four weeks after going off in the defeat to Palace.

Alvaro Morata is hoping to return from his hamstring problem to face Roma in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but Conte is said to have been in a dark mood since Saturday and fears his worst fears over the consequences of the summer transfer window could come true.

Telegraph Sport understands head coach Conte ripped into his squad in the immediate aftermath of the Palace defeat and then launched a full-scale inquest into what went wrong and where Chelsea must improve in training on Sunday.

Conte accused his players of taking their foot off the gas against Palace and warned them that they will have to work much harder if they are to enjoy successful Premier League and Champions League campaigns.

But the workload has been taking its toll, as medical experts believe that the increased number of games the Champions League has brought this season, together with international commitments and tough training sessions, is behind the recent spate of hamstring injuries.