Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Cole Palmer is fit to return for Chelsea this weekend as the Blues travel to face Aston Villa.
Chelsea will be aiming to bounce back from a crushing 5-0 defeat at London rivals Arsenal in midweek, a clash that leading scorer Palmer missed through illness.
The 21-year-old is the joint-leader in the race for the Premier League’s Golden Boot with 20 goals, alongside Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, and has laid on nine assists this season.
Pochettino also provided a positive update on Reece James and Levi Colwill, though the trip to Villa will come too soon for the defensive duo. Enzo Fernandez has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after undergoing groin surgery.
“No they [Reece James and Levi Colwill] are not available yet they are close. Yesterday, they were doing some training with the squad. They are close but still not available.
“Yes, Cole [Palmer] was training well in the last few days. We assume he is going to be ready for tomorrow, be part of the squad.”
Chelsea are ninth in the Premier League table ahead of Saturday evening’s game, six points adrift of the division’s top six and guaranteed European football.
