Jose Mourinho has revealed Diego Costa is unlikely to return from injury until next month.
The Chelsea boss expects the striker to play the final four games of the season due to his troublesome hamstring injury.
Costa limped off with a recurrence of the injury in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Stoke City.
The former Atletico Madrid striker will miss the Blues' games against QPR, Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester.
But Mourinho is hoping for him to return for the fixtures against Crystal Palace, Liverpool, West Ham and Sunderland in May.
Ahead of Sunday's clash away to QPR, the Portuguese coach said: "Only Diego is injured, everybody else is fine and ready.
"I think we have eight matches to play, if he plays four it is normal. If he plays three he is a bit below what I am expecting.
"If he plays five that is more than I am expecting.
"I am not concerned (by his injury)."
Meanwhile, Mourinho insisted he is focused only on the football ahead of a potentially hostile derby at QPR.
John Terry is poised to return to Loftus Road for the second time since he was banned in 2011 for four matches and fined £220,000 by the Football Association for "using abusive language related to colour” towards Aston Ferdinand.
The Blues skipper was stripped of the England captaincy amid the fall-out and then announced his retirement from international football.
He will avoid facing Ferdinand's brother Rio, who branded him an "idiot" over the affair, as the defender is out injured.
Mourinho played down the relevance of the incident, saying: "I don't think so. I think it's just a football match.
"Obviously a very important match for both teams. We know that, we know they want to win. Nobody is expecting an easy match."
Asked if he anticipates a hostile reception, Mourinho added: "That's what people tell me. I never played there, I don't know.
"We go to play, we go to win, the people in the stands can play a role, but they cannot score goals.
"The referee and the assistant referees are there, so I'm not worried."
The former Real Madrid boss also refused to discuss reports that the Blues have made a bid for FC Tokyo's Japanese striker Yoshinori Muto.
He added: “I don’t make bids.
"I don’t think about players, next season, I don’t think about after QPR.”
Credit: Skysports
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