Five Chelsea players called up to Development Squad for Fulham clash after missing Spurs draw

Five Chelsea players are set to earn minutes for the Development Squad when they face Fulham in Premier League 2 on Monday night at Kingsmeadow. 

Following Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon, many players were left out due to Tuchel only being able to select 18 players for the London derby. 

A fair few players were absent, with Marcos Alonso and Mateo Kovacic’s reasons already confirmed, but others didn't get any minutes on Sunday afternoon. 

Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Callum Hudson-Odoi were all on the bench against Antonio Conte’s side but didn’t feature for Chelsea, while Ethan Ampadu and Carney Chukwuemeka weren’t in the matchday squad. 

With Tuchel wanting his players to get as many minutes under their belts as possible in the early stage of the season to build up their fitness, the club has now confirmed those five absentees are set for minutes on Monday night with the Development Squad. 

In their preview for the game, the club wrote: ‘A number of first team players are set to accrue some valuable match minutes tonight to help their fitness, including Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ethan Ampadu and Carney Chukwuemeka’.

Chilwell is coming back from a long-term injury, while the others will be keen to keep the freshness in their legs ahead of the Premier League trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Sunday afternoon.

Thomas Tuchel was handed an injury blow after N’Golo Kante was forced off in the 85th minute with a hamstring problem, adding to their midfield worries with Kovacic already injured with a knee issue.

The Chelsea head coach said post-match: “It seems another muscle injury, the hamstring. “He said he feels it pretty strong. So no good news.”

The five players will be hoping to impress on Monday night to back up the performance of the first-team against Spurs despite drawing the game. 

Tuchel hailed the ‘top, top, top performance’ which he believed was taken away from them by decisions made by Anthony Taylor and the officials in charge of Chelsea versus Tottenham. The 48-year-old is now under investigation by the Football Association for his comments. 

He said: "Everything. I loved how we played - the intensity, the structure, the discipline, the commitment. Then the fighting, spirit, attitude in every single challenge, this was pure hunger and quality.

"So, so nice to be at the sideline, it was a brilliant match."

Tuchel added: "The atmosphere was absolutely brilliant.

"The team put the spark, the performance was absolutely brilliant, so it’s a give and take.

"Was a pure pleasure to be out there, emotional, quality, everything that you want from Premier League football."