Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Chelsea captain Reece James is fit and ready to make his season debut against Liverpool on Sunday, following his recovery from a long-standing injury. James, who has struggled with recurring muscular injuries in recent years, hasn’t played a competitive match since being sent off in the penultimate game of the 2023-24 season, a 2-1 victory over Brighton.
Maresca, when asked about James’ fitness after he rejoined full training on Monday, said: “Yes, he’s available. It’s great news, especially for him. Injuries are tough to deal with, and it’s been a long road for him, but finally, he’s back.” The right-back endured a difficult 2023-24 season, managing just 482 minutes of playing time due to persistent hamstring problems. After undergoing surgery in December 2023 to address the issue, James picked up another hamstring injury during Chelsea’s preseason tour in the United States.
While Maresca is thrilled to have James back, he emphasized the importance of managing his return carefully. The plan is to ease him into the first-team setup by limiting his match time, as the player’s body is not yet able to handle the physical demands of playing twice a week. “It’s difficult when you have injury after injury. It’s not easy to find a solution, but for now, we think the best approach with Reece, similar to Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana, is to use him in just one game a week,” Maresca explained in Friday’s press conference.
Chelsea heads to Anfield full of confidence after a strong start to the season. They sit fourth in the Premier League table and are determined to maintain their unbeaten record away from home. Maresca was recently named the Premier League’s Manager of the Month for September, while Cole Palmer earned the Player of the Month accolade, having scored five goals and registered one assist in four matches.
However, Chelsea will be without defenders Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana, both of whom received their fifth yellow cards of the season in a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest before the international break. Despite these setbacks, Maresca is optimistic about his squad’s chances at Anfield.
