Ahead of the crucial top-of-the-table Manchester United clash, Chelsea boss Tuchel has provided an important update regarding the fitness of veteran Thiago Silva.
The 36-year-old has sat out all of Chelsea games in recent weeks since picking up a muscle injury against Tottenham earlier in February.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference to Chelsea TV, Tuchel said:
“We have no new injury concerns and Thiago can’t play on Sunday. He did an individual session today on the pitch and it was a big step for him. So I hope he will join the group next week.”
Tuchel also spoke about the threat United possess in the final third, having already faced them twice this season with PSG in the UEFA Champions League group stages –
“We have a pretty good impression of the style they play. They like to have space, they like to counter-attack and they like to use their speed. They are a strong team that can defend very compact and very good in transition. It will be a big challenge to defend all this.
There is a lot to do but we are on a good run. It will be a challenge to be the first ones to beat them in a Premier League away game.”
The Blues face a tough run of fixtures, having already faced Atletico Madrid recently and yet to face the likes of Liverpool and Everton in the Premier League. On the upcoming fixtures, he said –
“There was a London derby, a Champions League game against Madrid and now Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton, a series of big fixtures and challenges to overcome. If we get a win out of this game it will be huge for us. If they get a win it will be huge for them to put a difference between us.”
