N'Golo Kante returns for Chelsea ahead of Liverpool clash

Chelsea Injury News: N’Golo Kante returns to training for FA Cup final vs Liverpool

The Chelsea duo of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, along with Liverpool enforcer Fabinho are three players that are dominating discussions ahead of the FA Cup final at Wembley tomorrow.

The Frenchman was out of the squad against Leeds United in Chelsea’s 3-0 win, while Kovacic went down in the first half and was substituted by Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Fabinho, meanwhile, pulled his hamstring in the win against Aston Villa.

The Brazilian superstar is set to miss the FA Cup final and so can the Croatian (h/t Liverpool Echo). But in what comes as a big boost for the Blues, Kante is back in training ahead of the showpiece occasion, according to football.london.

N'Golo Kante joined Chelsea from Leicester City. — N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea from Leicester City.

He picked up an injury against Manchester United and has missed their recent games in the league but is now arguably in contention to make the team, with the final a little over a day away.

Massive injury boost for Chelsea

Now, this is a massive boost for the Blues. No Kante would have meant scraping the barrel and having to choose a midfield partner for Jorginho who wouldn’t have been a regular in recent months.

They still might have to, with Kante’s inclusion in the starting XI not certain until we see the team sheets. Saul Niguez, who is on loan from Atletico Madrid, is one such option but he has rarely been used by Thomas Tuchel.

Diogo Jota of Liverpool battles with N'Golo Kante of Chelsea. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) — Diogo Jota of Liverpool battles with N’Golo Kante of Chelsea. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Ross Barkley, the former Evertonian, is another midfielder that can play against us and so can Ruben Loftus-Cheek. But given the lack of starts for them under the German manager, it is clear he doesn’t rate them as his top guys in the centre of the park.

Kante just finds a way to play against Liverpool it seems. At 31, he may not be spring chicken but to have an engine like that in midfield can only help his team.

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As for the Reds, Jordan Henderson could be the man that deputises for Fabinho and hopefully, we see Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara play the game of their lives besides the Englishman tomorrow. An FA Cup win is the perfect vehicle to carry us to the UCL final in good spirits.