Chelsea team news: Lampard confirms double blow + Hudson-Odoi update

Chelsea will be looking to get their first win on the board this season when they take on Norwich City at Carrow Road on Saturday lunchtime.

Ahead of the game, Blues boss Frank Lampard has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s provided a full team news and injury update.

Lampard revealed a huge fitness concern as N’Golo Kante is a doubt for the trip to Norwich this weekend due to an ankle sprain that’s hampered the French international this week. The Chelsea staff are going to monitor Kante over the next 24 hours before making a final decision over his availability.

In a double blow, Lampard also confirmed that Saturday’s trip to Norwich will come too soon for Antonio Rudiger as the centre-back is still working his way back to full fitness from a serious knee injury.

Rudiger stepped-up his recovery by turning out for the Chelsea U23s on Monday but the German international is still going to need more time to build up his match fitness before Lampard will consider him for the first team.

The Chelsea manager also revealed that Pedro was given a days rest this week due to some small aches while he provided an update on Callum Hudson-Odoi after he returned to training recently.

The highly-rated winger has been on the sidelines with an Achilles injury in recent months but Lampard is hoping to have the youngster available again after the September international break.

He told Chelseafc.com:

‘N’Golo Kante has got an injury he has carried all week. We are going to assess that over the next 24 hours to see if he’s fit. It’s an ankle sprain.

‘Rudiger is not fit yet, hopefully not next week,’ added the boss of his German defender who played for our PL2 team on Monday.

‘Those are the only changes from where we were last week. Pedro missed open training on Tuesday as he has contributed a lot physically during a busy week with three games, and had a couple of small aches. It was a precaution taking him out for a couple of days but he has trained the last two days.’

‘Callum’s training, he’s looking bright and sharp, but we are in the zone where it’s about protecting him and getting condition and fitness, particularly with his injury. He’s had a quite a long time out. Same with Rudiger slightly. We have to be careful.

‘The international break comes at a good time for us with both those and Reece James. They are all in a position where I hope two or three weeks of strong training puts them right in the frame to be back in the squad and available.’

Chelsea head to Carrow Road having picked up just one point from their opening two league games with the Blues being held at home by Leicester after being thrashed 4-0 by Man Utd on the opening weekend so Lampard will be keen to get his first three points on the board tomorrow.