Chelsea duo back in training on Thursday ahead of likely injury returns vs Brentford | OneFootball

Cole Palmer and Reece James were both spotted in training on Thursday as the pair could make their returns for Saturday's Premier League clash against Brentford.

Blues head coach Liam Rosenior already confirmed that Palmer and James were expected to take part in Thursday's training session after missing the last two games against Charlton Athletic and Arsenal.

While Rosenior claimed that the two remain doubtful as they will have to go through all the protocols before getting the green light to return to the squad, the key pair have at least returned to training.

Rosenior did not mention Malo Gusto, another Chelsea player who was out for the last two games, in his press conference, and the defender did not seem to have joined Palmer and James in training.

Moises Caicedo missed the Arsenal defeat through a suspension, but is available for the weekend. He also trained on Thursday.

On the other hand, both Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens were absent. The pair were left out of the squad against Arsenal due to illness, and for now, they are still recovering at home.

Those who were not heavily involved in the derby trained on the pitch, while those who played were seen doing some recovery sessions in the gym.

Marc Cucurella, Jorrel Hato, and Benoit Badiashile are among the players in the second group.

Chelsea, who sit eighth in the table, will host fifth-placed Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and the result of this game will have a big impact on the race for Champions League spots.

This will also be Rosenior's first Premier League game in charge of the Chelsea team.