Before facing Crystal Palace in their Premier League return, Chelsea appears to have received a double injury boost.
In their debut top-flight match under new manager Graham Potter, the Blues travel just a short distance to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace in a London derby after the break.
Chelsea’s future games against Fulham and Liverpool were postponed following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, making this their first League match of any kind since West Ham’s dramatic 2-1 victory on September 3.
The former Brighton manager Potter will be hungry for a quick improvement after being held to a 1-1 home draw in the Champions League by Red Bull Salzburg in his first game in charge, which came after the appalling loss in Zagreb that marked the end of Thomas Tuchel’s reign.
The return to fitness of two players over the break also seems to have improved Chelsea’s expectations against Palace.
Edouard Mendy, the team’s first-choice goalkeeper, was out with a recurring knee injury for the European matches against Zagreb and Salzburg. Kepa Arrizabalaga filled in for him.
Before last week’s exhibition match against Bolivia in France, the 30-year-old briefly joined up to welcome his Senegal teammates before leaving for Chelsea, according to sources.
Mendy was seen on Monday at Cobham being put through his paces by Potter along with a small group of Chelsea first-team players, showing that he is definitely making progress in his effort to play against Palace.
Regarding Christian Pulisic‘s health, there is more positive news. Due to a knock sustained in training, the winger, who is currently traveling with the United States, was unable to attend Friday’s friendly loss to Japan in Düsseldorf.
🚨 Chelsea have announced N'Golo Kante is back in full training! 💪 CFC
N’Golo Kante, who has missed each of the past six games due to a hamstring injury sustained against Tottenham in August, was Chelsea’s only other current injury issue.
However, he is rumored to have been practicing alone at Cobham… but according to a report from the club, he is back after missing France’s doubleheader against Austria and Denmark in the Nations League.
