Team news ahead of Southampton - Skippy latest

Oliver Skipp is set to miss our Premier League opener against Southampton on Saturday.

Antonio Conte has revealed the midfielder suffered a fractured foot in pre-season. It's another blow for the Academy graduate who started so impressively last season but was then laid low by an injury in January that ultimately ended his 2021/22 campaign early. He'd worked overtime in the summer to return, but he's now been struck again.

Speaking to us after training on Thursday, Antonio said: "Skippy at this moment is not available for this game, and, I think, also for two or three games. He had a fracture in his foot, for this reason, we need a bit of patience. He's a bit unlucky."

Antonio was later asked in his press conference if Yves Bissouma was a doubt. "At this moment, we only have one player who will miss Southampton, and that is Skipp. About Bissouma, we have another day to check his physical condition, nothing serious, but I don't want to take any risks. Tomorrow, we have another training session to make an evaluation about him."

Meanwhile, Richarlison serves a one-match suspension. Antonio added: "The other players are all available."