German striker Timo Werner has dismissed any injury doubts and insists he will be fit for Chelsea's Premier League clash against Liverpool on Sunday.
Werner, 24, marked his Premier League debut by winning a penalty that Jorginho converted to put Chelsea ahead in their 3-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion. However, he took a whack on his leg as he was tripped by Brighton keeper Mat Ryan in the incident.
The Germany international, who joined the Blues in the summer from RB Leipzig, was able to play the entire 90 minutes despite the knock and was one of Chelsea's standout performers.
When he was interviewed after the final whistle with the icing on his injury, Werner said he expected to be fit for the visit of Premier League champions Liverpool.
"The knee of the goalkeeper hit me directly in the muscle and it went very hard," Werner told Sky Sports. "The rest of the game it hurt a lot. I couldn't do some movements because the muscle went very hard, but at the end I'm happy that we won.
"I don't care about this. In one week it will be good. We did a good game today, we did well, and I'm happy I won the penalty because it was important for our game."
Werner's pace and astute movement made him a handful for Brighton's defence, even with the injury. One of the most prolific strikers in the Bundesliga in recent years, he admitted it was a fascinating challenge to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.
"The game is totally different. There is more space, but you come out in the second half and the game was totally different. Brighton gave us a lot of problems," he said.
"I played against three massive defenders – you don't have that in Germany. Happy to be here and I think it was a good first game for me and the team.
"The second game will become harder because it is Liverpool. I tried and did my best and got an assist for the team.
"We had a lot of players not in the rhythm now, but I think we will get better and better when we play more games together."
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Brighton v Chelsea - player ratings
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CHELSEA RATINGS: Kepa Arrizabalaga - 5. Allowed a firm but saveable Leandro Trossard effort to squirm past him and into the net for 1-1 and looked uncomfortable at set pieces. AFP -
Marcos Alonso - 6. He couldn’t get forward as much as he would have liked thanks to a solid all-round display by opposite number Tariq Lamptey, and the Brighton full back gave Alonso plenty to think about going the other way, too. Reuters -
Kurt Zouma - 8. An excellent display in which he was always in control over Brighton’s two-man forward line, while chipping in with a goal of his own. Reuters -
Andreas Christensen -7. In the right place at the right time on a couple of occasions to snuff out some promising Brighton openings, including an excellent block to deny Steve Alzate. AFP -
Reece James - 7. Had a couple of sticky moments defensively, but his beautifully struck strike early in the second half put Chelsea back in the driving seat. AFP -
Jorginho - 8. Coolly stroked home his penalty midway through the first half to put his side ahead, in a performance that was full of poise and control. Reuters -
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 5. Struggled to make an impact on proceedings, in what was a poor display from a talented player. He was replaced by Ross Barkley on the hour. Getty Images -
N’Golo Kante – 6. Went about his business quietly, keeping a close eye on Brighton’s midfielders as they advanced towards the Chelsea box. EPA -
Mason Mount – 6. Started the game brightly but faded as the match wore on. Not a performance for the highlight reel, but not a bad game either. Reuters -
Kai Havertz – 5. A fairly anonymous display from the summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen. Early days, but the 21-year-old will be a touch disappointed with his lack of impact. AFP -
Timo Werner – 7. Hovered across the final third, causing the Brighton backline all sorts of problems, and his sharp movement won his side the penalty that got Chelsea up and running for the season. Reuters -
SUBS: Ross Barkley (Loftus-Cheek, 60’) - 6. Some neat turns and touches, and his introduction saw Chelsea step up their attacking tempo. AP Photo -
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Havertz, 80’) – N/A. Not enough time to make an impact. Getty Images -
Cesar Azpilicueta (Jorginho, 85’) – N/A. Slotted into the Chelsea back four to see the game out in the closing stages. Reuters -
BRIGHTON RATINGS: Mat Ryan – 5. The Australian conceded the penalty and was sent the wrong way from the spot by Jorginho. He made a good save to deny Werner at his near post but could do little to stop Reece James. Getty Images -
Tariq Lamptey – 8. The former Chelsea defender was the pick of the bunch for the home side. His pace caused Chelsea problems going forward, but he also made more tackles and interceptions than his teammates. AFP -
Leandro Trossard – 7, The Belgian international impressed with his movement and link-up play, and he found the scoresheet with a well-worked finish. AP -
Solly March – 6, The left footer played well, linking positively with Trossard and contributing dangerous crosses and runs in and around the Chelsea area. AFP -
Ben White – 7, The 22-year-old performed well on his debut and showed why he was a wanted man in the summer. Looked confident with the ball at his feet, and made a number of positive interventions. Reuters -
Yves Bissouma – 6, The midfielder was overpowered in the second half as Chelsea turned the screw, but he started well. PA -
Adam Lallana – 5, The former Liverpool man was forced to come off through injury in a setback that will worry Graham Potter. Protected the ball well and had put the Chelsea back line under pressure until he went off. PA -
Lewis Dunk – 6, The central defender was impressive at the heart of the Albion defence, though his missed header with the score at 2-1 will no doubt keep him awake at night. AFP -
Adam Webster – 5, The left-sided central defender was solid throughout and he was unlucky to see Chelsea’s third deflect off him. AP -
Neal Maupay – 5, Missed a good chance to score following a good cross from Lamptey, and overall worked hard. AFP -
Steven Alzate – 5, Had a positive start but was guilty of giving the ball away for Chelsea’s opener, and then conceded the penalty. Reuters -
SUBS: Aaron Connolly (Lallana 44) – 6, Took his chance well following the injury to Lallana. He was lively and enjoyed two efforts on goal. PA -
Pascal Gross (White 79) – N/A Came on for the last 10 minutes but couldn’t influence the game. PA -
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Alzate 79) N/A Brighton’s hero against Chelsea last time out couldn’t repeat his antics on this occasion after he came on with 10 minutes left on the clock. AFP
