Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is still hopeful over Mateo Kovacic for Saturday's FA Cup final with Liverpool at Wembley Stadium.

The Croatian midfielder picked up a nasty ankle injury following a horror tackle from Leeds United's Daniel James in midweek and had to be taken off after 30 minutes at Elland Road.

Kovacic injured the same ankle in the FA Cup semi-final win over Crystal Palace, and he was set to join Ben Chilwell and Callum Hudson-Odoi on the sidelines for the final, but there is now a slim chance that he could be involved.

Surely learning from his EFL Cup final mistakes, Tuchel should trust Edouard Mendy in goal over Kepa Arrizabalaga, as Antonio Rudiger looks to bow out with one more trophy before his summer exit.

Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva are both well-rested and ready to return to the defence ahead of Trevoh Chalobah and Andreas Christensen, as Reece James and Marcos Alonso continue out wide.

Tuchel has claimed that there is a "90% chance" of Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek pairing up in the middle amid N'Golo Kante's fitness woes - whether that is simple mind games remains to be seen, with Kante expected to be fit enough to play some part at the weekend.

Mason Mount produced a man-of-the-match showing at Elland Road and will hope to keep the momentum going on Saturday, where Romelu Lukaku will hope to have done enough to warrant a start following his recent upturn in fortunes.

Christian Pulisic is also pushing for a place after netting in midweek, but Kai Havertz is primed and ready to join Lukaku in a powerful strike force for the Blues at Wembley.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger; James, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek, Alonso; Mount; Havertz, Lukaku

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