Reece James hints availability for weekend clash against Arsenal

Chelsea captain Reece James has dropped a mysterious hint that he may be fit to take on Arsenal this weekend in the Premier League. Despite a history of injuries that limited his appearances to just 16 times last season, the 23-year-old has not ruled out his chances of featuring against Arsenal.

Reece James made a promising start to the new campaign by playing in Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Liverpool on the opening day but has since been dealing with a nagging hamstring tear. However, there's optimism for Chelsea fans as he recently returned to training before the international break, providing a significant boost for the team.

Although there were reports earlier this week suggesting that James had suffered another setback, the player himself hinted at his availability by sharing a cheerful picture of himself during a training session on Instagram with the caption, "Against all odds."

Chelsea also fueled this speculation by excluding James' name from their published injury list on Wednesday. In contrast, names like Trevoh Chalobah and Carney Chukwuemeka were mentioned, indicating they had encountered new setbacks. James' absence from the injury list raises hope that he might be in contention to face the Gunners.

If Reece James does miss the upcoming match, Malo Gusto is a potential replacement on the right after returning from a three-match suspension. Chelsea aims to secure three crucial points against the unbeaten Arsenal, striving to achieve a third consecutive win in the Premier League.

Currently positioned 11th in the league table, Chelsea recently triumphed with a 4-1 victory against Burnley, marking the first time they scored more than three goals since their 6-0 win over Southampton in March the previous year.

Notably, manager Mauricio Pochettino has a strong record at home against the Gunners, having never lost a league game during his tenures at Tottenham and Southampton, with three wins and three draws in six meetings.