Can Chelsea revive fortunes after custodian Courtois is ruled out?

When asked if he could give a rough estimation of how long the Belgium international would be sidelined, Mourinho declared: “No, I don’t want to go in that direction. I just know that he will be out for some time.

“I will wait for [Chelsea medical director] Doctor Biosca to be more specific after surgery and I think today [Friday] we will be ready to give some more information. It’s a big blow but you will not see me next week speaking again about Thibaut. If he is injured, he is injured.

“It is not easy to have the best goalkeeper in the world injured but it’s easy to have one of the best goalkeepers in the world to play. We have [Asmir] Begovic to play and he is very, very good. I am very sad for Thibaut. I am very sad for the team obviously but we have a top goalkeeper and Begovic will be in goal.”

Chelsea finished eight points ahead of Manchester City last season, losing just three times all campaign, but this term the Blues have already tasted defeat twice after a troublesome start, which has been worsened by Courtois’ set-back.

Summer signing Asmir Begovic will now have to deputise in place of the Belgian for quite some time, a potent replacement stopper to have after his switch from Stoke City, but the 28-year-old has been prone to some errors so far in new surroundings.

Despite becoming one of the most impressive goalkeepers in the top-flight during his time with the Potters, Begovic has looked out-of-sorts at times in blue, though his true ability should now shine through with the knowledge he is number one for the foreseeable future.

Mourinho undoubtedly knows how to overturn such a poor start to the Blues’ title defence, but coming into the next set of fixtures after what turned out to be a costly break could see Chelsea either return to their best or be derailed completely.