Mauricio Pochettino will be relieved by the return of Chelsea duo Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea have been handed a timely boost ahead of their return to Premier League action against Burnley, with Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto pictured in training earlier today.
Mauricio Pochettino will have been sweating over Palmer’s fitness after the 21-year-old was ruled out of England’s Euro 2024 warm-up clash with Brazil due to a minor knock.
Following a £42.5million summer switch from Manchester City, Palmer has been one of Chelsea’s few shining lights in an otherwise disappointing season, racking up 11 goals in eight assists in the English top flight.
And while Gareth Southgate insisted Palmer was in contention for England’s second friendly with Belgium, the youngster failed to make it off the substitutes bench as Jude Bellingham rescued the Three Lions a draw at Wembley.
But Palmer was pictured in training at Cobham today and it appears the attacker could be line to feature this Saturday when Chelsea welcome Vincent Kompany’s lowly Burnley to Stamford Bridge.
Malo Gusto also trained as normal to ease doubts over his fitness after the 20-year-old returned early from international duty last week.
The young right-back, who has impressed in Reece James’ absence at Chelsea this term, came down with a virus and missed the France Under-23s’ matches with the Ivory Coast and the United States.
Palmer trained at Cobham today (Picture: Getty)
Pochettino is likely to provide an update on the duo at his pre-match press conference on Friday, with the Blues looking to make it three wins from three in all competitions at home to Premier League strugglers Burnley.
It’s not all been positive news for Chelsea on the injury front, though, with £60m summer signing Romeo Lavia ruled out for the remainder of the season earlier this afternoon.
The midfielder sustained a thigh injury against Crystal Palace back in December and has suffered a significant setback in his recovery.
Gusto came down will an illness while on international duty with the France U23s (Picture: Getty)
Earlier this month, Pochettino bemoaned the loss of Lavia and said the Belgian was ‘supposed to be a very good player’.
After switching from 4-2-3-1 to a 3-5-2 formation versus Brentford, the Chelsea manager said he was forced to make the change due of the prolonged absence of midfielders like Lavia.
‘It was to try and provide the team a different way to play and to have an alternative in the way to use,’ Pochettino explained.
‘We needed to provide the midfield the possibility not to cover too much distance. [Conor] Gallagher didn’t start against Leeds because he was very, very tired.
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‘Because players like Lavia was supposed to be a very good player, and of course Lesley Ugochukwu.
‘They are injured and we don’t have the possibility to refresh players that are in a key area. That is why to help them with another centre-back.
‘It’s always keeping our ideas going forward, but to try and provide them with more solid and the differences in transition and gives them more freedom and not too much responsibility.’
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