Chelsea return to Premier League action on Sunday after three months of enforced break with a trip to Villa Park, and a victory at the expense of the struggling Aston Villa will boost the Blues’ chances of finishing in the top-four.
Frank Lampard’s side prepared for the game with friendly games against Reading and Queens Park Rangers.
Chelsea strolled to a 7-1 victory against QPR but Reading gave them the run for the money in a narrow 1-0 win.
The Stamford Bridge outfit were handed a massive injury boost as Ruben Loftus-Cheek took part in the game, playing alongside the first-team players for the first time since suffering a serious Achilles injury before last year’s Europa League final.
The midfielder impressed, with a Reading player telling The Athletic’s David Ornstein that he was the best player on the pitch.
The 24-year-old had been back in training before the lockdown and will hope to impress Lampard in the remaining fixtures.
Loftus-Cheek isn’t a guaranteed starter but he has what it takes to become one if he stays fit going forward.
He will definitely be getting his chance to show what he is capable of this term, and forcing himself into the starting XI remains the plan.
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