Chelsea are back in Premier League action, and if you’ve followed them lately, you know what that means: a mix of hope and nerves. Sure, they just cruised past Hull City in the FA Cup, smashing four past them and cooling the sting of letting Leeds off the hook with that 2-2 draw. But look a little deeper, and the real story is the same as ever: who’s fit and who’s not.

Liam Rosenior’s team holds fifth place right now, two points ahead of Liverpool and six behind Aston Villa in third. For once, they’ve had a whole week off, thanks to dodging a Champions League playoff. That gave the manager a bit of breathing room to get his team in order. Now Burnley are on the horizon, a solid chance to lock in their position, but also a reminder that injuries are still shaping everything.

Palmer Gets a Breather as Squad Rotates

People were surprised when Cole Palmer didn’t even make the squad against Hull. He’d scored four goals in his last two games, so most figured he’d start. Instead, Rosenior left him out not because of any injury but just to manage his workload.

“Managing him,” Rosenior said. “Great to see Reece James back out there. Great for him to get his 60 minutes.

“I wanted Enzo Fernandez to play 45 minutes with Moi Caicedo, but in the end, Moi stayed on for 60. I’m happy they all came through fine. For the first time in ages, we’ve got a full week to get ready for Burnley.”

So, no drama – Palmer should be back against Burnley at Stamford Bridge. He’s been crucial to Chelsea’s attack, and giving him a rest now is all about the big picture.

Cucurella’s Fitness Still Up in the Air

Marc Cucurella’s situation feels murkier. He had to come off at halftime against Leeds with a hamstring issue and then missed the Hull game. In a squad that’s constantly changing, his steady presence has mattered.

Rosenior kept it honest: “Right now, he’s not fit. It’s a hamstring thing. I can’t give you a timeline yet.”

Unless he’s back in full training, Burnley looks like a long shot. Arsenal the week after seems more likely. With everything Chelsea is aiming for, managing muscle injuries is non-negotiable.

Then there’s Jamie Gittens, whose hamstring tear against West Ham is a bigger blow. He’s set for a long spell out.

“Jamie’s out longer term,” Rosenior said. “That’s tough for him. I haven’t worked with him long, but I know his career and how good he is. We’ll miss him.”

That knocks out a key option out wide and limits how flexible Chelsea can be tactically.

Lavia and Colwill Offer Hope for Later

Romeo Lavia’s recovery is a bright spot. He’s been out since hurting his thigh in the Qarabag draw back in November, but he’s training again.

“We have a really detailed plan for him,” Rosenior said before the Leeds match. “He’s been with us the last couple of days. It’s great to see him back. But we want to make sure that when he returns, he stays fit.

“So we’re giving him the right plan for the next ten days or so.”

They’re eyeing March for his return. Chelsea has missed his calmness in midfield, especially when games get tight.

Levi Colwill, still working back from a serious knee injury in preseason, is making progress too. Rosenior is optimistic but doesn’t want to jinx it.

“Yes, he could be back before the season ends, but it’s step by step. I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep,” he said.

“Levi’s is in a good place. He’s working hard. I talked to him this morning; he’s itching to come back, but we need to be sure he’s 100 per cent. He’s a great professional, and I can’t wait to have him back. But I’m not putting a date on it; health comes first.”

May is realistic for Colwill. If he makes it back in time, he could have a big say in how Chelsea finishes the season.

Elsewhere, Filip Jorgensen is still on the rehab trail after a muscle injury, and Dario Essugo faces over a month out after a training mishap.

When you look at Chelsea’s injury list, it sums up their season as a constant balancing act between keeping players healthy and building momentum. Burnley’s up next, and it’s another chance to make a statement. But the line between moving forward and running into trouble is razor-thin.

Hull City put up a real fight, but Chelsea knocked them out of the FA Cup in the fourth round. Liam Rosenior’s team, heavily rotated for the occasion, couldn’t handle Pedro Neto, who ran the show with a hat-trick.

Chelsea finally broke through right before halftime. Neto picked up the ball on the edge of the box and drilled it into the bottom corner – pure class. That pretty much set the tone for the rest of the night.

Hull had a few bright spells early on, but without Oli McBurnie or Joe Gelhardt leading the line, they just couldn’t finish. Chelsea killed off the game right after the break, with Neto grabbing another and Estevao tapping in a third. Neto wrapped things up with a calm finish, thanks to some clever play from Liam Delap.

Jakirovic didn’t hold back with his changes – six in total from the team that lost to Bristol City. Phillips, McCarthy, Hadziahmetovic, Millar, Hirakawa, and Koumas all started. Charlie Hughes and Toby Collyer missed out through injury, and McBurnie wasn’t even in the squad. It was pretty clear Jakirovic had one eye on the marathon of fixtures coming up: seven games in three weeks.

Hull came out swinging. Within two minutes, Koumas beat the offside trap but then hesitated, and his ball across the goal went nowhere. Giles managed to recycle it, but Chelsea’s keeper Sanchez handled it easily.

Chelsea showed their teeth after ten minutes. Garnacho broke free behind Coyle and forced a sharp stop from Phillips, with McCarthy blocking Neto’s follow-up. Hull responded, Slater sparked a counter, and Millar hustled to win the ball back and set up Koumas, but his shot got blocked. Estevao had a golden chance minutes later, rounding Phillips only to blast his effort over the bar.

Phillips gave Delap a gift after dawdling on the ball, the rebound bouncing off the bar to the ex-Hull striker, but Phillips scrambled back for a crucial save. Hull countered; Hirakawa drew a foul on the edge of the box, and Giles forced Sanchez into a save.

Hull kept battling, but right before halftime, they got punished for not clearing their lines. Neto pounced, firing low into the bottom corner. That was real Premier League quality, and Chelsea had it in abundance.

The second half? All Chelsea. Neto scored straight from a corner, the ball slipping through Phillips at the near post. Soon after, Delap powered down the wing and set up Estevao for a simple finish – no way back for Hull.

Lundstram and Gelhardt came on for Hull, while Chelsea brought on Enzo Fernandez and Josh Acheampong. Drameh, Joseph, and Dowell followed for Hull, and Delap left the pitch to warm applause from the home crowd. Koumas almost grabbed a late consolation, hitting the post in stoppage time.

With Hull’s defensive struggles this season, this was always going to be a tough night if Chelsea showed up. Rosenior got a solid reception from the home fans, and his team gave it a real go in attack.

But now, Hull have to refocus. There are fifteen promotion games left, and that’s the real priority. Time to regroup and get ready for the run-in.