Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane says the team is hopeful that Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill will be fit for Sunday’s important Premier League clash against Sunderland.
Speaking ahead of the game, McFarlane confirmed that both players returned to training and are being monitored closely before a final decision is made on their availability.
“They both trained today. Both promising and we’re hopeful they’ll be fit for Sunday,” he said.
The Chelsea boss also gave an update on captain Reece James, who recently featured heavily in the club’s FA Cup final. While James is fit, McFarlane admitted the defender’s workload must be carefully managed.
“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 explained.
Chelsea is coming into the Sunderland game after an emotionally and physically demanding period. McFarlane admitted the players looked exhausted in their recent match against Tottenham after giving everything in the FA Cup final days earlier.
“We knew it would be a challenge physically and mentally,” he said. “You could see the effects from that game.”
Despite the fatigue, the manager praised the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, describing it as the best he has experienced since joining the first team setup.
“Stamford Bridge was brilliant. It’s probably the best atmosphere I’ve seen since being in the first team,” he said.
Chelsea now faces a high-pressure trip to Sunderland, with both clubs needing a win for their respective ambitions. McFarlane believes his side must make one final push to end the season strongly.
“It’s going to be a great game, both teams need to win. We need one more push, three points and hopefully get ourselves up the table,” he added.
