Thomas Tuchel challenges Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz to step up and fill Chelsea's attacking void in the wake of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner injuries after duo impressed as subs for the strikers in Europe

• Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku limped off injured against Malmo this week
• Callum Hudson-Odoi has played just over two hours of league action this term
• While Kai Havertz has started only four games in the Premier League this season 
• Thomas Tuchel has now challenged the duo to step amid Chelsea's injury woes

Thomas Tuchel has issued the clearest of challenges for Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz to step forward and fill Chelsea’s attacking void.

Both have been frustrated by limited appearances this season but with Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic all injured, they can seize the chance against Norwich on Saturday.

‘It’s a big opportunity, not a little bit of an opportunity,’ said Chelsea boss Tuchel. ‘Romelu gets a lot of minutes, Timo gets a lot of minutes. Now is the moment to step up. It’s as simple as that.

‘This is what they are waiting for. Now they have the responsibility, here we go. They have to show it. They have our trust, our support and it’s up to them.’

Hudson-Odoi has played little more than two hours of Premier League action this season and Tuchel wants to see the gifted 20-year-old recognise this chance and perform with more consistency.

‘It’s only a turning point if he makes it a turning point,’ said the Chelsea boss. ‘He needs to prove it. He needs to play the next 250 games at the highest level and then we can say it was.

‘It will be a turning point if he does not only have one good match, one good half, 60 good minutes but if he does it consistently.’

It was a similar message for 22-year-old Havertz, who scored the goal to win the Champions League last season but has started only four games since in the Premier League.

‘He got the minutes he deserved,’ said Tuchel. ‘There is only one way to make the team and that is performance. There is no other way. There never was and there never will be.

‘Kai was not at his highest personal level. Other players were closer to it and we were winning, so it was necessary that he waited. He did what he needed to do, worked hard and showed some resilience and determination to be more decisive in training.

‘He is so talented and dangerous. He has so much potential, he needs to show it.’

Havertz and Hudson-Odoi impressed coming on against Malmo on Wednesday to replace Lukaku, who damaged ankle ligaments, and Werner, who suffered a hamstring injury.

Tuchel offered no details on the severity of their injuries other than to also rule them out of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton, and he refused to accept it might be a blessing in disguise for them to take a break from the relentless schedule.

‘It’s never a good thing,’ he added. ‘They are both in treatment and feeling positive. They are not too worried.

‘They are out of the next two games for sure and then we’ll see.’