Liam Rosenior explains decision to hold back Chelsea star’s return from injury

Liam Rosenior was back at Stamford Bridge this week, taking charge of Chelsea against Arsenal.

It wasn’t the result he’d have wanted, with Chelsea falling 3-2 to their London rivals. But there’s still hope for the Blues, as they head into the second leg of the Carabao Cup tie at the Emirates.

Chelsea still has a shot at reaching Wembley, and attention now turns to league play. The Blues are preparing to host Brentford in another all-London matchup this Saturday.

Rosenior spoke with reporters before kickoff, touching on various topics, including how Raheem Sterling fits into his early plans.

Liam Rosenior taking cautious approach with Dario Essugo following long-term injury

Dario Essugo has been a talking point for Rosenior as the midfielder continues his return from injury.

Although he has yet to play this season, Essugo is now back to full fitness and available for selection.

Rosenior, who rates Essugo’s talent highly, is taking a measured approach to his return, mindful of the thigh injury that sidelined him. The Chelsea boss explained: “Dario’s close. I’m aware of his abilities, I’m aware of his strengths, but I want to give him the best possible moment to show himself in the best way coming back from a long time out because he is a very good player.”

This suggests that Rosenior will stick with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos in midfield for now.

Santos, who played in Chelsea’s recent defeat to Arsenal, has Rosenior’s trust after his performances at Strasbourg. The Brazilian and Essugo could become key figures for Chelsea in the future if they continue to progress.

Dario Essugo needs to be given minutes between now and the end of season

Once Rosenior feels the midfielder is ready, he should be added to Chelsea’s midfield.

Essugo has plenty of skills to bring to the pitch. Last season in La Liga with Las Palmas, he averaged 2.2 tackles per game according to WhoScored, showing how effective he can be without the ball.

Chelsea see some similarities between Essugo and Caicedo, and there will be interest in seeing if that comparison becomes more apparent once the former Sporting player gets his chance.