Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid EmailNathaniel Chalobah is facing a race against the clock to keep his World Cup dream alive – because Watford do not expect him back in first-team action before March. Head coach Marco Silva admits his midfield linchpin is “two or three weeks away, maybe more” from returning to training with the Hornets' first team squad. That would leave Chalobah, 23, little time to prove his fitness and regain match sharpness before England's friendly double bill against Holland and Italy at the end of March. Three Lions coach Gareth Southgate had earmarked Chalobah for a midfield holding role in England's World Cup squad before the former Chelsea prodigy suffered a hairline stress fracture of his left kneecap four months ago. “He will not have lost his skills and everybody is ready to support him to come back at a good level when he starts to work with us again.

Source: Daily Mirror January 19, 2018 06:56 UTC