Chelsea fans were given a boost as Reece James and Romeo Lavia returned to action during the Blues’ 5-0 FA Cup victory over Morecambe. Both players, recovering from hamstring injuries, managed 45 minutes against the League Two side.

Manager Enzo Maresca revealed that the half-time substitutions were pre-planned to ease the duo back into match fitness. “The idea is to slowly build the right condition,” he explained.

Maresca emphasised the importance of cautious management, particularly for James.

“Especially for Reece, we have to be a bit more careful. The good thing is they both played 45 minutes and finished well without any problem. Hopefully now we can start to help them to build the right condition,” he added.

Chelsea, who last won the FA Cup in 2018, are aiming for a strong cup run after falling short in three finals between 2020 and 2022. The return of James and Lavia could prove vital in their pursuit of silverware this season.