Maresca delivers huge Reece James fitness boost for Chelsea

Enzo Maresca faced the media before his side’s game with Liverpool and whilst Arne Slot was tasked with delivering some bad news – he had quite the opposite.

The former Leicester City boss said about Reece James: “No, finally we are all available. So we have all the squad available apart from the suspended ones…

“He is available. Finally he is back. He worked with us all the international break and it’s good news, especially for him because the injury is not a good feeling. So finally he is back.”

This will certainly be a big boost for the team from Stamford Bridge as they look likely to welcome their captain back onto the pitch for the first time in this campaign.

VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards
OR on X with the FCA’s one-click X link with:
I am voting for @empireofthekop in @The_FCAs for #BestClubContentCreator (Premier League)

Reece James only played 10 Premier League games last season

Whilst our English right-back continues to shine for club and country, the Londoners have become very used to life without theirs after just 10 league appearances in the last campaign.

It’s almost hard not to feel bad for a player when their careers are plagued with injury but it would certainly have been a lot better if the 24-year-old’s comeback wasn’t spent at Anfield.

Let’s hope that we have enough to beat the visitors regardless of who they field and hold our place at the top of the league.

Liverpool injury news: Alisson out for weeks

There was a less positive update from Maresca’s Liverpool counterpart, Arne Slot.

Alisson Becker, as many rightly suspected, is set to remain on the sidelines ‘in the upcoming weeks’ owing to the hamstring injury he sustained prior to the international break.

We’re fortunate to be able to rely on top cover in Caoimhin Kelleher at the very least!

You can view Maresca’s comments on Reece James (from 0:54) via Chelsea Football Club on YouTube:

Arne Slot’s Liverpool reign is about to be turbocharged as Reds enter rollercoaster fixture sequence