Liam Rosenior has provided an encouraging update on the health of his squad ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming match against Aston Villa on Wednesday. Both Cole Palmer and Reece James are set to be available for selection, easing concerns following their recent performances. Despite Palmer experiencing a moment of concern during the match against Arsenal, where he took a knock, Rosenior confirmed that he is in good condition and ready to contribute again.
“Cole took a knock [vs Arsenal], but he’s absolutely fine,” Rosenior stated in his pre-match press conference. He explained that Palmer played 83 minutes in the previous match, and his substitution was tactical, aimed at preserving players with yellow cards for the demanding fixtures ahead.
In addition to Palmer and James, Rosenior also revealed positive news regarding Marc Cucurella and Estevao Willian. Cucurella is nearing a return to action, with Rosenior hopeful he might feature either in the match against Aston Villa or the following game against Wrexham. Estevao is also progressing well, having returned to training on the pitch.
Furthermore, Romeo Lavia made an impressive impact from the bench against Arsenal and is close to earning a starting position. Rosenior expressed satisfaction with Lavia’s return and highlighted his strong performance in his first minutes after a long recovery.
Jamie Gittens is also on the mend, showing good progress in his rehab, although he is still a bit away from returning to match action. Rosenior emphasized the importance of these returns given the congested schedule Chelsea is facing.
With these players coming back to fitness, Chelsea may well find themselves on a promising upward trajectory as they look to bounce back from their recent setback against Arsenal.