Chelsea fans have received very positive news ahead of a huge Premier League match against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge this Saturday. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that key players are returning just in time for the important clash.
Chelsea currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, while Aston Villa are third. This makes the game even more important, as both teams are fighting for the top positions.
The biggest update is about Cole Palmer. Maresca has confirmed that Palmer is now fully fit and ready to play a full 90 minutes if needed. This will come as a huge relief to Chelsea supporters.
Palmer had been dealing with a groin issue and a broken toe earlier this season. Because of this, his minutes had been carefully managed by the coaching staff.
Last weekend, Palmer played 79 minutes against Newcastle United. This was another step forward in his recovery and showed he is close to full match fitness.
Maresca explained Palmer’s progress clearly. He said: “I think he’s ready for 90 minutes, yeah. The progression for a player is 45, one hour, 70. He already played one hour against, I think, Everton. He played more than 70 against Newcastle. I think the progression is there.”
Earlier in the season, Maresca had admitted that Palmer could not yet play twice a week because he was still feeling some discomfort in his groin. That concern now appears to be behind him.
In addition to Palmer, Chelsea have received more good injury news. Young attackers Estevao Willian and Liam Delap are both back and available for selection against Aston Villa.
Estevao had missed Chelsea’s last two matches due to a minor fitness issue. His return adds more attacking options for Maresca at a crucial stage of the season.
Liam Delap has been sidelined since early December. At first, his shoulder injury looked serious and raised concerns about a long absence.
However, his quick return shows that the injury was not as bad as initially feared. Maresca confirmed the news by saying: “He [Estevao] is back, he’s available for Saturday, him and also Liam Delap.”
Another positive update is the return of Dario Essugo to training. The midfielder has been out for several months following surgery but is now back working with the squad.
Not all the news is good for Chelsea, though. Romeo Lavia remains unavailable after picking up a new muscle injury during the Champions League match against Qarabag.
Defender Levi Colwill is also still a long-term absentee. He continues to recover from an ACL injury that he suffered during pre-season and is not expected back soon.
Chelsea’s schedule over the coming weeks is very busy but mostly London-based. After the draw at St James’ Park, nine of their next ten matches in all competitions will take place in the capital.
The Blues will finish 2025 with home matches against Aston Villa and Bournemouth. The Bournemouth game could be the final appearance of Antoine Semenyo for his current club.
Chelsea reportedly made an enquiry earlier this week about a possible January move for Semenyo. However, the club quickly decided not to proceed.
According to reports, the Chelsea hierarchy believe strongly in the attackers already at the club and do not feel a January signing is necessary.
Maresca refused to discuss transfer matters and made his focus very clear. He said: “I’m focused on Aston Villa. Not on players who can arrive and leave. I’m in love with the squad we have.”
After the Bournemouth match, Chelsea travel to Manchester City. This will be their only game outside London until January 28.
Two away matches follow the City trip, but both are local. Chelsea face Fulham in the Premier League and Charlton in the FA Cup.
Chelsea then return home to face Arsenal, Brentford, and Pafos across three different competitions, showing how demanding their schedule will be.
The Blues then travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace before ending January with a high-profile clash against Antonio Conte’s Napoli.
With Palmer fully fit, key attackers returning, and strong belief in the current squad, Chelsea head into the Aston Villa match with renewed confidence and momentum.
