In a major lift for Chelsea fans, manager Enzo Maresca has delivered exciting news on the injury front, revealing that star duo Liam Delap and Estevao Willian could make their eagerly awaited returns for the crucial clash against Aston Villa.
The Blues are set to face Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 27, hot on the heels of their upcoming away fixture against Newcastle United this weekend.
Delap has been sidelined with a nagging shoulder injury picked up during the goalless stalemate at Bournemouth, while summer signing Estevao has been nursing a minor muscular issue that forced him to miss the midweek 3-1 triumph over Cardiff.
But Maresca has now hinted that both players are on the verge of recovery and could feature against the Villans post-Christmas—though the trip to Tyneside will come too early for them.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Maresca shared the positive developments: “We are good. The ones we left out for Cardiff are OK. We will have Liam Delap and [Estevao] probably available for the next game against Villa.
“We didn’t know exactly how long [Delap would be out], but he’s progressing very well.”
However, the update wasn’t all sunshine, as long-term casualties Romeo Lavia, Essugo, and Levi Colwill remain out of action with no immediate return in sight.
Currently perched in fourth spot in the Premier League standings, Chelsea trail third-placed Aston Villa by five points, making the festive showdown a potential game-changer.
Meanwhile, tomorrow’s hosts Newcastle sit in 12th and are desperate to bounce back from their humiliating Tyne-Wear derby loss to Sunderland. The Magpies did salvage some pride with a dramatic injury-time victory over Fulham in midweek, courtesy of Lewis Miley’s late header, keeping their League Cup hopes alive.