Chelsea look set to have Joao Pedro, Levi Colwill and Reece James all available for their crunch trip to Sunderland this weekend.
The Blues head to Wearside on the final day of the Premier League season still able to secure European football for next term ahead of the imminent arrival of Xabi Alonso as their new manager.
And their chances of beating one of their rivals for a top-eight finish appear to have been enhanced after interim head coach Calum McFarlane delivered a positive team news update ahead of that visit to the Stadium of Light, which will be the final game of his second stint at the helm.
“They both trained today,” McFarlane said of Joao Pedro and Colwill during Friday’s pre-match press conference at Cobham. “Both promising and we're hopeful they'll be fit for Sunday. No other updates.”
Top scorer Joao Pedro started last weekend’s FA Cup final defeat by Manchester City at Wembley, but missed Tuesday night’s hard-fought 2-1 home win over relegation-threatened rivals Tottenham in the Premier League with what was described by McFarlane as a “slight knock”.
He was subsequently left out of Brazil’s squad for the World Cup this summer in a shock, just hours before being named as Chelsea’s Player of the Season with more than 60 per cent of the fan vote.
Centre-back Colwill was also absent against Spurs as he had his fitness carefully managed, having made his first starts of the season against Liverpool and City following an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered last summer.
Right-back Reece James was an unused substitute in midweek having only recently returned from a hamstring injury.
Pressed on if his captain was fit ahead of the meeting with Sunderland, McFarlane said on Friday: “Reece has trained today. We'll play it day by day with Reece.
“He's fit and in good condition but we know we need to manage him carefully. He played a lot of minutes in the final - and that will take it out of you.”
Chelsea were without midfielder Romeo Lavia against both City and Tottenham with a knock and he remains doubtful for Sunday, with wingers Estevao and Jamie Gittens (both hamstring) definitely still sidelined, along with youngster Jesse Derry (head).
