Former Palace loanee Loftus-Cheek could make Chelsea return at Selhurst Park

BY PAUL LAGAN
paul@slpmedia.co.uk

Chelsea have a tricky Premier League match at Crystal Palace tomorrow, and have to put the euphoria about winning the Club World Cup on Wednesday to one side.

The Blues need to focus on their bread and butter ambitions of finishing in the top four and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

They beat Brazilian outfit Palmeiras 2-1 after extra time in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to secure the FIFA-created competition which allows the club to call itself the champions of the world.

But it was back to a wet and windy training ground on Thursday where the Blues were able to welcome back Ruben Loftus-Cheek to their ranks. The South London-born midfielder has missed the past six matches with Covid and injury.

The 26-year-old could make the bench as head coach Thomas Tuchel looks to rotate his midfielders.

N’Golo Kante, who played the whole 120 minutes in midweek, could be rested.

The France international is eying even more silverware as the Blues face Liverpool at Wembley in the League Cup final on February 27.

Of the Club World Cup win, he said: “It feels special. We had a nice time in Abu Dhabi and it was a nice tournament.

“We took it very seriously and for many of my team-mates we have never played this tournament and the club has never won it.”

Kante has never won the League Cup with Chelsea either but wants it too.

He said: “We take things step by step. There are many more important games coming.

“We have the final of the League Cup, plus the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup too, so there are many things ahead of us and we want to enjoy many more great nights.

“What we want is to get the best out of the team, we want to compete in everything and we want to win it and we try to give our best.”

Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is considering a change of international allegiance to play for Ghana.

Hudson-Odoi has played three times for the full England side but is well down Gareth Southgate’s pecking order at present.

He is tempted by the prospect of playing in the World Cup should Ghana qualify.

Chelsea women’s players are away for international duty.

Their most recent WSL game was last Friday – a 0-0 draw with Arsenal.

The Blues could have gone top of the table with a victory, but still can if they win their game in hand over the north Londoners, who have a two-point advantage.

Defender Jess Carter said of the dour match at Kingsmeadow: “I didn’t feel like we were going to concede, I know they put balls into the box but we put our bodies on the line for everything and at no point did I feel we were going to concede. If anything I thought we’d grab one on the counter.”

The Blues’ return to league action on Saturday, February 26 when they host Leicester City at Kingsmeadow in the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup.

The development squad are at home to Spurs tonight in the PL2. Kick off is 7pm while the U18s face Blackpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup with the tie to be staged at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, February 24, kick-off 7pm.

The kids fought back from 3-0 down to beat Liverpool 4-3 in the last round.