Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted Timo Werner's overdue good form has given him a selection headache ahead of an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
The forward has hit an unexpected purple patch, scoring a brace and hitting the woodwork countless times in the 6-0 thumping of Southampton, before finding the net and providing an assist in the Champions League quarter-final defeat to Real Madrid in midweek.
Although he is popular with supporters, Werner has largely underwhelmed since a blockbuster transfer to Chelsea from RB Leipzig in 2020. Indeed, the 26-year-old has publicly admitted his struggles with Tuchel's system and 90min understands he will push for a return to Germany in the summer.
For the time being, though, he is in form and available for selection, giving his manager something of a headache ahead of the cup semi-final against Crystal Palace - and Tuchel went as far to suggest that Werner may have turned his fortunes around altogether.
“Now he has made it difficult to leave him out. I’m impressed, he was very, very good in the last two games," Tuchel said in his pre-match press conference.
"These were two games when he was much better than in any other game and he showed what he is capable of. Everybody thinks we as managers do the lineup, and of course we do.
“But in the end the players take care that you don’t leave them out, they do it in training or in games, and of course in games it’s the opportunity for everybody.
"Especially for strikers, things can be turned around in minutes, in moments, whole careers can be upside down and in any direction but always as a striker you can have a chance to put things into your favour, as a substitute or if you have the chance to perform from the beginning.
"He did in the last two games and that’s what we want from him. It’s what he needs to show and then he takes care that he plays.”
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Source : 90min