Chelsea boss confirms £25m star is close to return after 'specialist' meeting at training ground

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino says Robert Sanchez is at the end of his battle to return to the field after seeing a specialist but still ruled him out of the game against Fulham. 

The Spanish hasn't played since he picked up a knee injury against Manchester United and was forced off against Everton. Initial reports were that he was just going to be out for a couple of weeks, but he's now been out for the last 33 days and won't be involved again tomorrow.

Pochettino told reporters ahead of the home game against Fulham: "We are so happy because the specialist says the evolution is very good. Today he was on the pitch, running. In the next few days, he will do some running to see how his knee reacts. It's a very positive evolution." 

The Chelsea manager also vowed to get a response from his team after the defeat to Middlesbrough in midweek. Chelsea created the most chances and dominated the game but eventually lost 1-0 and will now have to come from behind if they are to reach Wembley for the League Cup final. 

Fulham are next though and Pochettino says the target is to find consistency in performance: "Every single game should be a priority for us. We need to play every game like a final. It is difficult to be consistent and play the same every game, but we need to try. Of course, in some situations, we didn't expect that to happen which made the situation more difficult. We are going to do everything to perform and create a solid team performance. In the meantime, we are going to be very successful, no doubt." 

The Blues have the youngest squad in the league with Argentinian manager Pochettino tasked with getting the best out of a newly assembled squad.