The head coach of the Blues revealed that the esteemed trio is progressing in recovery from injury
Frank Lampard provided fitness news for Hakim Ziyech, Reece James and Ben Chilwell ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Arsenal.
Chelsea are currently preparing for a big derby against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday night.
The Blues will enter the top four of the Premier League if they win for the second time in a row against the Gunners, after returning from a two-game losing streak by beating West Ham at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.
Arsenal found themselves in a far more desperate situation than their rivals from different cities who set out to meet this weekend and will be looking for three points to start moving away from the relegation zone.
Lampard is wary of the threat posed by Mikel Arteta’s team, as he labeled the gunners “dangerous” clothing with a “class manager” after seeing his side beat the Hammers earlier in the week.
“We were in decent shape [in London derbies] but I don’t think we should take Arsenal as a face value, “he told reporters.
The Chelsea head coach could have hoped to call in € 40 million (£ 36 million / $ 49 million) in the summer to sign Ziyech at the Emirates, but Morrocan, who tried to knock during a 3-1 win over Leeds United at At the beginning of the month, he was not quite ready to return to action.
Asked if the 27-year-old would be available for selection against Arsenal, Lampard said at a pre-match press conference: “No, he will not be capable for Arsenal.”
Pressed to see if they were worried about Ziyech’s constant fitness problems, the Blues legend replied, “No. He had a knee injury at the start of the season and now has a muscle injury.
“You have to wait to recover. It’s not a long-term concern and we hope to be back in the next week.
“And I hope he can offer what he used to do because he offered great things.
“We kind of missed that, but it’s football, it’s a team and it happens when players play at a high level every two or three days.”
Lampard revealed that James and Chilwell are a dilemma for Arsenal and the meeting with Aston Villa on December 28.
The former missed a West Ham game due to a knee problem, while the latter was withdrawn in the first half after turning an ankle.
“They both doubt it. We’re not sure if they’ll be capable of any game,” Lampard said.
One man who will almost certainly perform when the Blues go on a short trip to Arsenal is Timo Werner, and Lampard added to the striker who has failed to score in the last nine outings: “I talk to him all the time, I don’t know I feel his frustration, I think it’s clear that as a striker you want to score goals regularly, as he has done in his career.
“But at the same time, every attacker has moments when the ball doesn’t fall for any reason.
“The positive thing is that he gets chances in games, he uses his attributes to get into the box, he gets chances, so he’ll come.”