In the words of early ’80s pop sensation Captain Sensible, “said Captain, said what!” Chelsea FC team captain Reece James is now FINALLY fit enough to make a match day squad for this season. Blues boss Enzo Maresca has made it official, James is in line to make his season debut Sunday at Liverpool.
“He’s available, yeah, finally he’s back,” Maresca said at his Friday news conference. “He worked with us all the international break and it’s good news especially for him because the injury is not a good feeling.
Liverpool FC vs Chelsea FYIs
Kickoff: Sunday, Oct. 20, 4:30 pm, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Full Injury Updates: Liverpool Chelsea
Team News: Liverpool Chelsea
Starting XI Prediction: Liverpool Chelsea
Google Result Probability: Liverpool 65% Draw 20% Chelsea 21%
PL Form, Standing: Liverpool WLWWW, 1st, 18 pts Chelsea DWWWD, 4th, 14 pts
Blues Team News
“So finally he’s back.” The English right back will not get a starting assignment this weekend though.
“It’s complicated when you get injury, injury, injury again it’s not easy so you are always looking for a solution,” Maresca added.
Meanwhile defenders Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana will both miss out on this crunch clash, as they both picked up their fifth yellow cards of the season and now find themselves suspended due to accumulation.
Elsewhere Omari Kellyman remains out as a longer-term injury absentee, but Carney Chukwuemeka and Ben Chilwell have both been passed fit, having recovered from unspecified illnesses.
Said Maresca of the fullback who is way down on the depth chart: “Chilly is one of our players. He was ill [this week], so he didn’t get any sessions. We will see how he is today and tomorrow.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network and RG.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.