With an in-form Manchester United coming to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Chelsea will need to be at their strongest defensively, and that includes playing veteran centre-back Thiago Silva.
The 38-year-old remains one of the game's premier defenders but complained of a minor muscle injury after the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa and was an unused substitute in the goalless draw with Brentford, sparking fears over his availability.
Fortunately, manager Graham Potter confirmed before the Brentford game that Silva was not carrying any fitness issues but acknowledged that the ageing defender is no longer physically capable of playing so many games in quick succession.
"24, 48 hours, we need to make sure the recovery is right for him," Potter said. "I have to involve him in the conversations because he’s 38 years old. He’s a man, he knows himself better than I do."
Having been rested for the Brentford game, Silva is expected to return to Potter's starting lineup on Saturday.
Chelsea remain without Reece James, N'Golo Kante and Wesley Fofana, while Conor Gallagher will face a late fitness test after overcoming the illness which saw him leave the Brentford game early.
Source : 90min