Chelsea have been handed a boost on the injury front as it has emerged that both Hakim Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic should be fit enough to feature in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday.
Both players were forced off with knocks in the Champions League first-leg win over Lille at Stamford Bridge, having to be substituted with what looked to be significant injuries.
However, as per the often reliable Nathan Gissing, neither injury is as serious as both feared, with both players picking up impact injuries.
Gissing reports that ‘Kovacic got a kick in the back and Ziyech a kick to his achilles’, however, both are ready to be fit for the clash at Wembley.
Understand #Kovacic and #Ziyech‘s injuries are ‘nothing serious’. They are both fine.
Both picked up ‘impact’ injuries. Kovacic got a kick in the back and Ziyech a kick to his achilles.
Reece James and Hudson-Odoi are all set to return to team training today. 🔵 #CFC
— Nathan Gissing (@Nathan_Gissing) February 24, 2022
In addition, both Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi are also ready to return to first-team training on Thursday, providing Thmas Tuchel with a further boost in personnel.
Chelsea aim to stop Juggernaught
Chelsea face an uphill struggle to come back from Wembley with a first domestic trophy under Thomas Tuchel, with Liverpool in free-scoring form and expecting to be able to recall Diogo Jota after injury.
The Reds have won their last six consecutive Premier League games, scoring 18 goals in the process. Meanwhile, while Chelsea have won their last 6 in all competitions, they have won just two of their last 5 Premier League games, scoring just 6 times.
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It promises to be a fascinating encounter.
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Premier League table
| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester City | 26 | 46 | 63 |
| 2 | Liverpool FC | 26 | 50 | 60 |
| 3 | Chelsea FC | 25 | 31 | 50 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 26 | 10 | 46 |
| 5 | West Ham United | 26 | 11 | 42 |
| 6 | Arsenal FC | 23 | 10 | 42 |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 24 | 5 | 40 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 24 | -1 | 39 |
| 9 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 25 | -3 | 33 |
| 10 | Southampton FC | 25 | -5 | 32 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 26 | -1 | 29 |
| 12 | Leicester City | 23 | -6 | 27 |
| 13 | Aston Villa | 24 | -6 | 27 |
| 14 | Brentford FC | 26 | -15th | 24 |
| 15th | Leeds United | 25 | -27 | 23 |
| 16 | Everton FC | 23 | -12 | 22 |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 24 | -19 | 22 |
| 18 | Burnley FC | 23 | -8 | 20 |
| 19 | Watford FC | 25 | -22 | 18 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 25 | -38 | 17 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 19 |
| Jota, Diogo | Liverpool FC | 12 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 11 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City | 10 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 9 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 9 |
| Ronaldo, Cristiano | Manchester United | 9 |
| Smith-Rowe, Emile | Arsenal FC | 9 |
| Rafinha | Leeds United | 9 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City | 9 |
| Bowen, Jarrod | West Ham United | 8 |
| Antonio, Michael | West Ham United | 8 |
| Mahrez, Riyad | Manchester City | 8 |
| Gallagher, Conor | Crystal Palace | 8 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 8 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace | 8 |
| Mount, Mason | Chelsea FC | 7 |
| Saka, Bukayo | Arsenal FC | 7 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City | 7 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neves, Ruben | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 9 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 0 | 7 |
| Mctominay, Scott | Manchester United | 0 | 8 |
| Salisu, Mohammed | Southampton FC | 0 | 7 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 0 | 7 |
| Rice, Declan | West Ham United | 0 | 7 |
| Shaw, Luke | Manchester United | 0 | 7 |
| Brownhill, Josh | Burnley FC | 0 | 7 |
| Cash, Matty | Aston Villa | 0 | 7 |
| Maguire, Harry | Manchester United | 0 | 6 |
| Firpo, Junior | Leeds United | 0 | 7 |
| Gallagher, Conor | Crystal Palace | 0 | 6 |
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 1 | 5 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa | 0 | 6 |
| Canos, Sergi | Brentford FC | 0 | 6 |
| Alonso, Marcos | Chelsea FC | 0 | 6 |
| Moreno, Rodrigo | Leeds United | 0 | 6 |
| Norgaard, Christian | Brentford FC | 0 | 6 |
| Westwood, Ashley | Burnley FC | 0 | 6 |
| Tarkowski, James | Burnley FC | 0 | 6 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 10 |
| Alexander-Arnold, Trent | Liverpool FC | 10 |
| Robertson, Andy | Liverpool FC | 9 |
| Bowen, Jarrod | West Ham United | 8 |
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 8 |
| Jesus, Gabriel | Manchester City | 7 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 6 |
| Mount, Mason | Chelsea FC | 6 |
| Cancelo, Joao | Manchester City | 6 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 5 |
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 5 |
| Antonio, Michael | West Ham United | 5 |
| James, Rece | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 5 |
| Henderson, Jordan | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Kovacic, Mateo | Chelsea FC | 5 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City | 5 |
| Redmond, Nathan | Southampton FC | 5 |
| Mahrez, Riyad | Manchester City | 4 |
| Gallagher, Conor | Crystal Palace | 4 |