N'Golo Kante out vs. Middlesbrough with Thigh Injury, Cesc Fabregas Replaces

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante will miss Monday's Premier League clash against Middlesbrough after suffering a thigh injury, with Cesc Fabregas named as his replacement by manager Antonio Conte.

Metro's Simon Rice confirmed the blow that kept Kante out of the fixture, which could see the Blues move within one match of clinching the title following Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 defeat at West Ham United on Friday.

Kante has grown into one of the most effective midfield players in European football, and, as such, he'd be a huge miss for the Blues if they were to be without him for long.

The former Leicester City man has made a seamless transition to life at Stamford Bridge following his move in the summer. Conte has deployed Kante at the base of his midfield, where he continues to sniff out danger, win tackles and burst forward into dangerous positions with the ball.

Needless to say, his absence would leave a sizeable hole in the team. Not only do the Blues lack a player who could carry out a similar job, so do the overwhelming majority of clubs in the country.

In terms of midfield personnel, Conte has players to call upon. Defensively, John Obi Mikel is probably the player that can best reproduce Kante's impact despite his comparative lack of mobility, while Nemanja Matic may also be asked to sit a little deeper in the Blues XI.

Even so, Kante has attuned himself superbly to the style of football that Conte wants to see from his players. Chelsea may be bristling with many quality players in all areas of the field, but without their summer signing, they won't be quite as formidable an opponent.