Liam Rosenior gets huge triple Chelsea injury boost before Champions League clash

Liam Rosenior in Chelsea training (Image: Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Estevao Willian, Malo Gusto, and Jamie Gittens were all spotted in training ahead of Chelsea's clash against Pafos in the UEFA Champions League. The trio missed the Blues ' win over Brentford at the weekend, but they've since returned to action at Cobham.

Cole Palmer, who cut a frustrated figure at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon , was also on the grass at the club's training base in Surrey. The 23-year-old midfielder fired Chelsea to victory against the Bees, securing Liam Rosenior's first win in the Premier League.

He doubled the Club World Cup winners' lead in the final quarter of an hour, beating Caoimhin Kelleher from 12 yards. Palmer barely raised a smile when he struck the back of the net, despite the efforts of Liam Delap and Reece James to cheer him up.

After the game, Palmer, who looked exhausted, hit the deck before being helped to his feet by Andrey Santos. Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Rosenior downplayed concerns that the England international was 'frustrated' .

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"No, Cole, if you watch the last 15 minutes of the game and you watch the energy he puts into his press and his running for the team," said the Blues boss. "I thought he was outstanding.

"It's impossible for any player or any team to be magnificent with the ball in every game, but you can still find a way to win. The other thing I would say about Cole and Reece [James] as well, they haven't trained.

"They've had no training time because they put themselves up. I couldn't play them against Arsenal.

Cole Palmer and Liam Rosenior after Chelsea's win over Brentford (Image: (Bradley Collyer/PA Wire))

"I'm so proud of them because they put themselves up and they ran themselves into the ground. They've had no training time with the knocks they picked up, which shows me a fantastic attitude and the more games and the more training sessions they get now, the better they'll perform."

Rosenior added: "For every player, whatever is right for them to be fit, to make sure they're healthy, to make sure they're available in the coming months. I'll keep making those decisions."

While Palmer may be keen to help Rosenior get a win on his UEFA Champions League debut as well, the Chelsea boss is expected to make wholesale changes against the Cypriot outfit. Next week, however, will prove season-defining when the Blues face Napoli in the final game of the 'league phase'.

Joao Pedro celebrates putting Chelsea ahead against Atalanta (Image: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP)

Chelsea are currently 13th in the table, but they're just two points adrift of Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool in 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th, respectively. A finish in the top eight secures automatic qualification to the last 16.

A 9th to 16th finish earns a seeded knockout phase play-off place, while a 17th to 24th finish earns an unseeded knockout phase play-off place. This preliminary round before the last 16 is a standard two-legged tie which will be played in February.