Chelsea head coach Graham Potter expects N’Golo Kante to play a part against Aston Villa tomorrow.
The midfielder has played just twice all season due to persistent hamstring problems, his last appearance coming against Spurs in August.
But he has been back in training over the past month and returned to the bench as an unused substitute for the Blues’ 2-2 draw with Everton last time out.
He also played an hour of a behind closed doors friendly win against Charlton over the international break, and Blues boss Graham Potter expects him to be involved, likely from the bench, against Villa.
“We have to manage that, that’s the next stage for us because he’s been out for so long,” Potter said on Kante’s return.
“The minutes, and building those minutes up in the Premier League.
“But he’s been training well and has had some behind closed doors time. He’s available in the squad and I’m pretty sure he’ll be on the pitch at some point tomorrow.”
Mason Mount, meanwhile, is set to be named on the bench having been sidelined with a pubic bone injury which forced him to pull out of the initial England squad.
Raheem Sterling was also absent from the England squad with a hamstring injury and is set to miss the game, though could return for Tuesday’s clash with Liverpool.
Reece James, meanwhile, withdrew from Southgate’s squad ahead of the game against Ukraine due to a hamstring problem but is expected to be fit for the game against Villa, as is Kai Havertz who left the Germany squad with an illness over the international break.
But Wesley Fofana is expected to miss out because of a hamstring issue though, like Sterling, could return for Tuesday’s game.
Cesar Azplicueta and Thiago Silva also remain out.
