Liam Rosenior provides updates on Reece James, Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens and Cole Palmer ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Wolves
Chelsea head to Molineux on Saturday afternoon looking to respond to their Carabao Cup semi-final exit, but Liam Rosenior faces several fitness decisions as his side prepare to take on bottom-of-the-table Wolves.
The Blues were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal on Tuesday night and have little turnaround time before returning to Premier League action. Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Rosenior offered mixed news on a number of key players, with late calls expected before the weekend.
Reece James and Pedro Neto both missed the defeat at the Emirates Stadium and remain doubts for the trip to the Midlands. Rosenior admitted there is still uncertainty over their availability after a light session earlier in the week.
“I don’t know yet,” Rosenior said when asked if the pair would be available. “We had training today, which was a recovery day for the lads who played a really tough physical game on Tuesday. We’ll check with them tomorrow and then we’ll make a decision then.”
🚨 Arsenal concerns ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Sunderland.
Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber all missed open training this morning.
Mikel Arteta facing some late fitness decisions… 👇https://t.co/WMSmyFyEs5 #SAFC #AFC #FPL
— BBSportNews (@thebbsportnews) February 5, 2026
Hamstring setback confirmed for Jamie Gittens
There was more definitive news regarding Jamie Gittens, with Rosenior confirming the winger is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring tear.
“Jamie, he’s looking a little bit more long-term,” Rosenior explained. “It’s a real shame for him. He’s got a tear in his hamstring, which is a real shame for him.
“I have not worked with him for too long. Obviously, I know about his career and what an outstanding player he is. Yeah, so that’s going to be a big miss for us.”
The Chelsea head coach did, however, offer reassurance on Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian, confirming both are fit enough to play a full match if required against Wolves.
“Yes,” Rosenior said when asked if the pair could manage 90 minutes.
When pressed on whether Palmer could soon handle back-to-back full matches, Rosenior stressed that Chelsea are taking a cautious, game-by-game approach rather than working to fixed timelines.
“I think that’s another really hypothetical question,” he said. “There isn’t a time frame where he’s going to be perfect in a month or two months or three months. It’s just game-to-game.”
Rosenior also highlighted the congested schedule and the need to protect players after a demanding run.
“Our schedule has been crazy,” he added. “I want to make sure that the well-being is correct for these players, for their careers as well… that affects my decision-making.”
Chelsea will make final fitness calls on Friday as they look to balance short-term results with keeping key players available for the long run.