https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/12/15/
chelsea-injury-update-ahead-of-everton
Tuchel confirms duo return to Chelsea squad for Everton game
15 Dec 2021
Thomas Tuchel has reported N'Golo Kante and Trevoh Chalobah will be
available for selection for tomorrow's visit of Everton.
https://i.imgur.com/17pfrCd.jpg
Kante came off injured during last month's win over Juventus, and Chalobah
suffered a similar fate when we beat Watford a fortnight ago. However,
Tuchel was pleased to confirm their return, which means now just Mateo
Kovacic and Ben Chilwell remain out.
'NG will be back on the bench tomorrow,' confirmed the boss. 'He did the
last two training sessions. Trevoh also did the last two sessions and will
also be back in the squad.'
Kovacic's period of self-isolation is due to end in the next couple of
days, and Tuchel considered what state he and Kante will likely return in
after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
'We need to see. Mateo has been out for seven or eight weeks with injury
and then Covid.
https://i.imgur.com/OBnZ0uc.jpg
Kova last played against Southampton in the Carabao Cup on 26 October
'It's one thing to have NG back on the bench, and one thing to get Mateo
back at the end of the week, but does that mean this is really NG, really
Mateo? I doubt that. That would mean it would not be necessary to be
constantly in training.
'It will take a while, but it will be a good day for us when both of them
are available.'
Romelu Lukaku faces the prospect of coming up against his former club, and
Tuchel was asked if the striker is fit enough yet to play the full 90
minutes.
'We can debate fitness endlessly. The player will say he's fit. Fitness
coaches will agree or disagree. Then comes the head coach who maybe agrees
or disagrees. It can depend on the intensity level of the game.
https://i.imgur.com/7qH0vO2.jpg
Lukaku finding the Zenit net
'He played 70-something minutes against Zenit, then we had a lot of
travelling, lack of sleep, and a very intense opponent with Leeds. We
decided not to put him in straight away. I think he can play 70 [minutes]
plus, but it depends how the game goes.'
It was also put to Tuchel that a quartet of his players – Andreas
Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva - can
sign pre-contract agreements with other clubs in a little over two weeks,
and whether this was concerning him at such a busy period.
'No, not so much. All of these players know very well how much we
appreciate them, and the big role they play in our plans and in the
presence of this team and this club.
'They are very aware of it and will not throw it away like this. Of course
it's their right now to do things, but it's also their right to stay with
us, and be a part of the future of Chelsea Football Club.
'We are on it with patience and with confidence, and we are on it with a
trust in the relationship between the players and staff, and players and
the club, and this is how it should be.'