Courtois calms eye injury fears

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has moved to calm fears he could be facing a spell on the sidelines with an eye injury.

The 24-year-old was left out of Belgium’s 1-1 friendly draw against Netherlands on Wednesday, as Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet was handed a start by head coach Roberto Martinez.

Courtois was pictured watching on with a deeply bloodshot left eye, but he has since stressed the problem is not serious.

Writing via his official Twitter account, he said: “Everything’s ok with my eye, had it for 2 weeks and doesn’t effect [sic] my goalkeeping”.

The news will come as a relief to Chelsea fans, with Courtois having kept five clean sheets in a row prior to the international break to help Antonio Conte’s side climb into second place in the Premier League.

Belgium, for whom Yannick Ferreira Carrasco scored an 82nd-minute equaliser after Davy Klaassen’s first-half penalty had put Netherlands in front, face Estonia in World Cup qualifying on Sunday.

Everything’s ok with my eye, had it for 2 weeks and doesn’t effect my goalkeeping

— Thibaut Courtois (@thibautcourtois) November 9, 2016