Thomas Tuchel has been handed a timely boost ahead of Chelsea's trip to Everton this weekend, with Andreas Christensen, Ross Barkley and Mateo Kovacic all returning to first-team training, having recovered from their respective illnesses and injuries.
Christensen was absent for the win over West Ham United on Sunday and didn't travel with the Blues squad for last night's 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford, a game that Barkley was also ruled out for. Kovacic, meanwhile, has been absent since he was forced off with an ankle ligament injury during Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final win over Crystal Palace.
There were concerns that Kovacic, who has been Tuchel's standout midfielder this term, would miss the FA Cup final against Liverpool next month and spend the rest of the campaign on the sidelines. Thankfully for Chelsea, that hasn't proved the case with the Croatia international back in training today.
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Christensen, Barkley and Kovacic were involved in the training session that took place at Cobham today with the players who didn't start against United. Those who did undertook recovery work in the gym at Chelsea's training base, where Ben Chilwell continues his recovery from knee ligament surgery.
The draw claimed at Old Trafford last night means Chelsea needs just six more points to secure their place in the Premier League top four and Champions League football for next season. So there is unlikely to be any easing off at Goodison Park against an Everton side that sit in the relegation zone under Frank Lampard.
"We need the points, and they need the points urgently as well," Tuchel said ahead of the game on Sunday. "It is an exciting week for me personally. I love to play at Old Trafford, and everybody tells me about the atmosphere at Goodison Park, how emotional and how tough it is to play there. These are two nice fixtures, what it is all about. I am excited to go there, and we expect a tough fight."
The match will see Lampard – Chelsea's all-time leading scorer and a club legend – go up against the side he coached prior to Tuchel taking charge in January 2021. And the German admits he is looking forward to meeting the man he replaced at Stamford Bridge. "He sent me a very kind, respectful message after I took over at Chelsea – that meant a lot," Tuchel said.
"I was a huge fan of him as a player, and he is – and will remain – a legend at our club. This is a given. I was very happy when he wrote me that message, it was very gentlemanly.
"We didn't have the chance to go out and have lunch, and he also took the chance to go and take charge of Everton. He took an assistant from us, Joe Edwards, and were not so happy! Just joking. We will meet some friendly faces [on Sunday] with Joe and Ashley Cole, and Frank, who I have never met in person. I will love to meet him."
