Will Romelu Lukaku play this weekend? Is Chelsea striker fit to start against Brentford - FPL selection tips

The Premier League was put on hold over the past week as the international fixtures resumed for the second time in a month, with England facing Andorra and Hungary in their World Cup Qualifiers.

Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku was also called up for Belgium’s UEFA Nations League semi-final tie against France, in which they lost 3-2 despite leading 2-0 until the hour mark.

Lukaku scored Belgium’s second just before half-time but was forced to withdraw from international duty due to muscle fatigue - meaning the forward missed out on their third-place play-off clash with Italy.

Roberto Martinez’s side certainly missed the 28-year-old, who was replaced by Michy Batshuayi as they endured a 2-1 defeat to the Euro 2020 champions.

Is Romelu Lukaku fit to face Brentford this weekend?

Lukaku’s absence from Belgium’s match on Sunday worried Chelsea supporters, with the former Manchester United striker a doubt to feature in the trip to newly-promoted Brentford.

However, Thomas Tuchel has received a huge boost after Lukaku successfully participated in Thursday’s training session at the Cobham Training Centre.

Lukaku’s return to training suggests he may be available for Saturday’s match which will be a great relief for fans given the Belgian’s form - having scored three goals in six Premier League appearances since rejoining the club in the summer.

Fantasy Premier League selection tips

While it is likely that Lukaku will feature at the Brentford Community Stadium tomorrow evening, you may decide to swap him out of your Fantasy Premier League team just to be safe.

Lukaku is currently one of the most expensive strikers on the app (£11.7m), with only Harry Kane (£12.1m) and Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.6m) costing more.

However, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives if Lukaku misses out on the Premier League return.

Jamie Vardy is currently joint top scorer in the league with six goals and one assist. The Leicester City forward will set you back £10.5 million - leaving you with £1.2 million spare.

Michail Antonio of West Ham is also a brilliant replacement for Lukaku. The 30-year-old has been on fire this season - scoring five in six - and is only a mere £8 million.

Similarly, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Neal Maupay has enjoyed a superb start to the campaign and is set to face relegation candidates Norwich City this weekend - perhaps the perfect opportunity for the Frenchman to add to his goal tally.