Audio By Carbonatix
Eden Hazard and Tiemoue Bakayoko have taken another step toward full fitness by returning to first-team training at Chelsea this week, although neither is likely to be fit enough to feature against Tottenham on Sunday.
Pictures emerged on Tuesday of both men participating in sessions at Cobham, while Bakayoko also posted about his return to training on Instagram.
Hazard missed the entirety of Chelsea's preseason due to a broken ankle sustained while on international duty with Belgium in June, and a knee injury has delayed Bakayoko's debut since arriving from Monaco in a £40 million deal.
The duo's return to full training is a timely boost for head coach Antonio Conte, who is managing a crisis of numbers ahead of Sunday's match against bitter rivals Tottenham at Wembley.
Pedro Rodriguez missed Saturday's shock 3-2 defeat to Burnley at Stamford Bridge with an ankle knock, while captain Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas are both suspended for the Spurs game after being red carded.
Cahill will serve a three-match ban after sources told ESPN FC on Monday that Chelsea will not appeal against referee Craig Pawson's decision to send off the England international for a dangerous lunge on Steven Defour.
Victor Moses is in line to return after his suspension, while David Luiz could be required to partner N'Golo Kante in central midfield. Alvaro Morata is expected to start ahead of Michy Batshuayi up front after registering a goal and an assist as a second-half substitute against Burnley.
Latest Stories
-
Fidelity Bank completes renovation of multipurpose auditorium at Police Public Safety Training School
52 minutes -
Oil prices slide 2% on Iran-Oman talks to reopen Strait of Hormuz
59 minutes -
Telecoms operator MTN eyes banking licences as it pushes deeper into lending
1 hour -
Show us how allegations involving MPs end – Dr Dramani demands clear path from probe to resolution
1 hour -
Mass arrests in global crackdown on West African cyber-crime networks
1 hour -
Ethiopia submits official bid to host Afcon 2028
2 hours -
We need leaders with integrity – Dramani warns supermajority Parliament over Afenyo-Markin allegations
2 hours -
Parliament scrutinises govt but cannot scrutinise itself – Dramani challenges MPs to apply their own standards
2 hours -
Partisan solidarity overrides accountability – Dr Dramani accuses Parliament of protecting its own
2 hours -
This goes beyond Afenyo-Markin – CDD warns fresh allegations could damage Parliament
3 hours -
Parliament is in crisis of confidence – CDD’s Osae-Kwapong warns fresh allegations could ceepen public distrust
3 hours -
Nigeria’s president orders rescue after mass kidnapping exposes security failingsÂ
3 hours -
Meta, US states have discussed settling teen social media harm case, Bloomberg News reports
4 hours -
All the best Savinho – welcome Savio… new club, new name for Spurs signing
4 hours -
Baleba completes ÂŁ70m Man Utd move from Brighton
4 hours