London (AFP) – Chelsea captain John Terry will be out of action for more than two weeks because of a “muscular problem”, Blues boss Antonio Conte said Friday.

Former England centre-back Terry, 36 next month, has made just one substitute appearance since the London club started a six-match winning run that has taken them to the top of the Premier League.

Terry will miss Saturday’s league match against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with his only start since returning from an ankle injury in the EFL Cup loss at West Ham in October.

“For tomorrow I don’t have available John Terry and (John) Obi Mikel,” Conte said. “John has a muscular problem and Obi is recovering from a muscular problem.”

The Italian manager added that Terry could be sidelined for “two, three weeks, maybe”, with a gluteus (buttocks) problem.

In a bid to get some game time, Terry featured for Chelsea’s development squad in Monday’s 3-2 win over Southampton.

“I’m not sure if the injury was in the Under-23 game or the day after,” Conte said.