Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto return to Chelsea team training
The French pair were not able to take part in Tuesday's 6-1 EFL Cup crushing of Middlesbrough in the second leg of their semi-final, which sent Chelsea to Wembley thanks to a 6-2 aggregate success.
Summer signing Nkunku has been limited to a mere four appearances for his new club since transferring from RB Leipzig, picking up a hip injury not long after recovering from a serious knee problem.
Meanwhile, right-back Gusto was a starter in Chelsea's West London derby win over Fulham on January 13, before sitting out the destruction of Boro with an unspecified concern.
Mauricio Pochettino's side have just a 72-hour turnaround to play with before Villa head to Stamford Bridge for the fourth round of the FA Cup, and the Blues released their latest injury bulletin on Thursday afternoon.
In the update, Chelsea announced that Nkunku and Gusto were both working with the main group again for a «reconditioning phase», as is long-term thigh victim Trevoh Chalobah, who has not made a single appearance this season.
However, Pochettino admitted in his pre-game press conference that both would remain unavailable for the visit of the Lions, although there is hope that they can be involved when the Blues head to Liverpool on January 31.
«They could be available for Liverpool on Wednesday, maybe. We need to see how they progress in the next few days. We are positive but we will see. They are not going to be available for tomorrow,» Pochettino said.
With the out-of-favour Chalobah also not expected to make the cut on Friday, Chelsea are set to be working around
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