Tiemoue Bakayoko is expected to start against Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is playing through the pain barrier due to Antonio Conte’s lack of options in midfield.

The Frenchman arrived at Stamford Bridge on the back of knee surgery and missed pre-season following his £40million move from Monaco.

Bakayoko was signed as a replacement for Nemanja Matic, who will face his former side when Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Danny Drinkwater has played just twice for the club following a calf injury and N’Golo Kante has been sidelined for a month with a hamstring strain.

Chelsea collapsed to a 3-0 defeat on Tuesday (Picture: Getty)

That’s left just Bakayoko and Cesc Fabregas in midfield and the Frenchman has been playing with pain, according to the Telegraph.

Conte hopes to welcome Kante back into the side on Sunday and will give the PFA Player of the Year every opportunity to prove his fitness in time.

Kante missed Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Roma on Tuesday and described his chances of playing on Sunday as ’50/50′ to reporters in the mixed zone after the game.

United have their own injury problems with Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick all absent from Jose Mourinho’s midfield for the trip to west London.