Romeo Lavia in jury update as Chelsea handed double boost ahead of Brighton Premier League

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says mercurial midfielder Romeo Lavia is back in contention for the game against Brighton this weekend. This will be the first time the former Manchester City man is back in the squad since the opening-day defeat to Pep Guardiola’s side.

In his absence, Chelsea have had to adopt different styles and systems. Given how impressive Lavia was in pre-season and during the City game, it will be interesting to see how the manager reintroduces him into the team.

There is also further good news with Malo Gusto, who made his return from injury against Barrow on Tuesday night. The French defender had missed the last couple of games after picking up an injury against Palace, but he was given the first 45 minutes in the League Cup game, where he proved his fitness.

Speaking ahead of the game against the Seagulls, Maresca confirmed Romeo's return: “Yeah, he is back and available. I will see if he can start or play the whole game, but we have to wait and see.”

On the downside, club captain Reece James is still not ready and is still waiting for his first competitive minutes under Maresca. Last season, he missed a large part of the campaign due to hamstring surgery, which he underwent in an attempt to recover for this season.

Chelsea have been very good on the field this season, winning games they would have previously drawn, but they are still waiting for their first home league win of the season to confirm their newfound form.

The Chelsea manager also has a big decision to make on who to start up front, with Christopher Nkunku bagging a hat trick, while before that, Nicolas Jackson scored a brace in the league game at the London Stadium.