Joao Pedro injury update ahead of Sunderland vs Chelsea

Joao Pedro was absent against Tottenham in midweek (Picture: Getty)

Callum McFarlane is ‘hopeful’ that Joao Pedro will be fit for Chelsea final Premier League game of the season against Sunderland on Sunday.

Joao Pedro missed the 2-1 win over Tottenham in midweek after picking up a knock prior to the match.

But the Brazilian, who has scored 15 league goals this campaign, is now back in training and in line to return to the matchday squad for the trip up to the Stadium of Light.

Levi Colwill is also expected to get minutes on Sunday after being rested in midweek, having just returned from a major knee injury.

‘Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill, they both trained today,’ McFarlane said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

‘Still got another day to see, but both promising, both hopeful that they’ll be fit for Sunday.’

Club captain Recce James was on the bench in midweek, and McFarlane said the Blues will continue to take a cautious approach with the 26-year-old after his recent hamstring injury.

Levi Colwill also missed out against Spurs (Picture: Getty)

‘Reece has trained today,’ the Chelsea interim boss added. ‘We’re playing it day by day with Reece. He’s fit, he’s in good condition.

‘But we just know that we have to manage Reece correctly over the last couple of games.

‘He played, obviously, a lot of minutes in the final which, again, I go back to, it was a tough game against a really good side so, it’s going to take a lot out of you.

‘We didn’t want to risk him on Tuesday, we felt like we had enough to see the game out, which was correct, we’re hoping to have Reece back on Sunday’

Chelsea currently sit eight in the league table, and likely in need of a win to secure a place in next season’s Conference League.

Sunderland could leapfrog the Blues into eighth if they win on Sunday and ninth-place Brentford drop points against Liverpool.