Chelsea made it three successive clean sheets last night with a 0-0 draw against Fulham. The Blues couldn't find a winning goal but their defensive security has continued to improve under Graham Potter and will be bolstered by the return of Ben Chilwell.
The left-back returned to action at Stamford Bridge last night after missing the previous three months. Chilwell suffered a knock in the Champions League group stage game over Dinamo Zagreb, with television cameras catching him telling Mason Mount that his hamstring had 'popped'.
Chilwell subsequently missed the World Cup in Qatar and has gradually recovered at Cobham since Christmas. The 26-year-old was named on the substitutes bench and replaced Marc Cucurella in the 84th minute to see out the London derby.
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His return comes at the same time as Reece James, who played an hour against Fulham following a repeated knee injury. The pair have often been Chelsea's two star players at wing-back and were pivotal in Graham Potter's early days in charge.
The Blues' failure to defeat Fulham leaves them with a fair bit to do in their attempts to secure a top four finish. The stalemate leaves Chelsea nine points behind Manchester United and Newcastle in the Champions League places, with both sides in action on Saturday.
Should they manage to turn their season around, Chilwell's presence in Potter's backline will be an encouraging boost for the second half of the season. And after making his return from injury, the former Leicester City man has thanked the Blues faithful for their support.
Writing on Instagram, he wrote: "Thank you chels fans for the warm welcome back. Big second half of the season ahead!"
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