In some promising news for Chelsea, captain Reece James is set to make his long-awaited return to the team today after a five-month absence due to hamstring surgery. The injury crisis that has plagued manager Mauricio Pochettino's squad seems to be finally easing off, with several players making their way back to the pitch.

Last weekend's resounding 5-0 victory over West Ham saw the return of Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling, Thiago Silva, Axel Disasi, Malo Gusto, and Levi Colwill, providing a much-needed boost to Chelsea's depleted lineup. As a result, the number of players on the treatment table has dropped down to just six, which is the lowest it has been in quite some time.

Unfortunately, Pochettino will still have to manage without the services of Enzo Fernandez, Robert Sanchez, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, and Carney Chukwuemeka, who remain sidelined due to various injuries. However, the return of key players has given the manager some genuine options and flexibility as he looks to secure his Stamford Bridge future by qualifying for Europe next season.

Chelsea's clash against Nottingham Forest provides an opportunity for Pochettino to assess the fitness and form of his returning players, with Reece James being named on the bench for the match. The significance of James' potential involvement cannot be overstated, as his presence and leadership have been sorely missed on the pitch.

The Nottingham Forest starting lineup features Sels, Montiel, Boly, Murillo, Niakhate, Aina, Gibbs-White, Yates, Danilo, Hudson-Odoi, and Wood. Meanwhile, Chelsea counters with Petrovic, Thiago Silva, Cucurella, Badiashile, Chalobah, Madueke, Mudryk, Palmer, Caicedo, Gallagher as the captain, and Jackson.

While the return of Reece James is undoubtedly a positive development for Chelsea, the focus will now be on Pochettino's ability to navigate the squad's fortunes with the limited number of injured players. The coming matches will be crucial in determining the manager's success in steering Chelsea towards their European ambitions.

As the injury crisis eases off, Chelsea fans will be hoping for a strong finish to the season and a berth in European competition. The return of key players, including captain Reece James, is a promising step towards achieving those goals.