September 20th 2024.
Chelsea fans, get excited because Enzo Fernandez may just make his return for the team's upcoming match against West Ham. In an update from assistant coach Enzo Maresca, he confirmed that both Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are in contention to play. However, it's bad news for Reece James, Romeo Lavia, and Malo Gusto as they are still sidelined with injuries.
Chelsea's last match saw them snatch a 1-0 victory against Bournemouth thanks to a late goal from Christopher Nkunku. And now, Maresca's men are looking to continue their perfect away record in the Premier League with a win against West Ham at the London Stadium this weekend. But, it seems like they may have to do it without their captain James, who is facing a setback in his recovery from a muscle injury.
At the pre-match press conference, Maresca shared, "Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are back in the squad. Reece James' injury has been delayed a bit. The most important thing is that he returns when he is fully fit, but as of now, he is still out." He also gave updates on Lavia and Gusto, saying they are close to returning but not quite ready yet. Unfortunately, Malo Gusto will also miss the game due to his injury.
Speaking of James, the hamstring injury that has kept him out of the game is still ongoing. Fans were also curious about the absence of Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana, and Romeo Lavia from Chelsea's Europa Conference League squad. Maresca explained that they were removed from the squad to protect them from further injuries. "The reason why Cole, Wes, and Romeo are out of the squad in the Europa Conference League is just to protect them a little bit," he said. "For Wes and Romeo, it's a bit different because they came from long injuries from last year. For Cole, it's a mix of an intense season last year and we are trying to protect him."
Jadon Sancho, who came on as a substitute in the last match, is another player fans are keeping an eye on. There have been calls for him to start in the upcoming game. However, Maresca remains tight-lipped about his decision. "I decide the starting XI, it depends on the training session. Jadon is one of our wingers. I am seeing him exactly the way I was expecting him. Now it's a matter of finding the right moment to give him a chance."
In terms of competing with top teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, Maresca believes that Chelsea needs to find the right balance between physicality and technical ability. "Today, if you want to compete, you need to find the right balance between the technical side and the physical side," he explained. "City, Arsenal, and Liverpool have players who are physically strong, but we have that too."
So, Chelsea fans, keep your fingers crossed for Enzo Fernandez's return and for the team to continue their impressive away record. And let's hope that the team can find the right balance to compete with the best in the league. Stay tuned for more updates on Chelsea's news, exclusives, and analysis by signing up for our newsletter. Your privacy is important to us, and this site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
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