Frank Lampard Confirms Rotation Plans for Krasnodar Clash
By Tom Gott
Chelsea welcome Russian side Krasnodar to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday for a Champions League game which means relatively little in the grand scheme of things for the Blues.
Frank Lampard's men have already sealed top spot in their group and can therefore afford to relax for their sixth and final group stage game, and the boss has confirmed in his press conference that he plans to use the game to give some of his squad players some much-needed minutes.
Here's what Lampard had to say ahead of the game.
On Injury News
"[Hakim Ziyech] is going for a scan this afternoon so I will have more information on his hamstring injury. He's out, and Callum Hudson-Odoi's out. He had a hamstring problem in training yesterday too.
"I wasn't worried [about the long-term fitness of Ziyech] because I thought he was looking great. He came to us quite a while ago now, and his injury was obviously disappointing and he missed some weeks, but straight away he showed his intensity to work in the gym and on the training ground.
"I hope this is a minor injury. We'll find out with the scans, but the feeling he has had since the game is that it doesn't feel too bad, which I'm hoping means we'll be talking a couple of weeks. But I'm not worried too much."
On Klopp's Claim of Being Title Favourites
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently claimed (via The Mirror) that Chelsea's talent and squad depth have the Blues looking like favourites to win the Premier League title.
"I'm not sure anyone actually went for that. Liverpool and Manchester City seem to be everyone's favourite when they perform the way they have over the last three years and they build up the squads they have.
"Even with injuries, when you look at Liverpool's squad and the team they put out, they have a big squad. Most teams at the top of the Premier League do. Tottenham are in the equation, so are Manchester United and so are others.
On Whether Kepa Arrizabalaga Will Return
"Kepa starts. It is about attitude and how you approach the game. Of course, Kepa's position is slightly different because goalkeepers have to be patient when they're not starting games, and obviously Edou [Mendy]'s form has made him a regular pick from me.
"This is a game for Kepa, who's training brilliantly well, acting brilliantly well. These periods will happen in players' careers, and sometimes they make you stronger and better at the other end.
"He has been very supportive [with Mendy]. I have seen that. I watch from afar and he has been supporting him quietly and training well. That's the main thing I look at. Goalkeepers have to push each other as a group."
On Billy Gilmour's Future
"Billy will start tomorrow. I don't want to have that conversation [about a loan] until the window opens. I value him a lot in this squad. We may have a lot of options in midfield, but that can quickly change as we've seen with the winger situation at the club."