Nicolas Jackson could make a rapid return from AFCON duty to face Liverpool tonight.

Chelsea were yesterday exploring the logistics involved with getting the striker back following Senegal’s last-16 exit on Monday, with Mauricio Pochettino ready to involve him if possible in a bid to boost their chances against the league leaders.

The idea of Jackson being parachuted into Anfield in time for kick-off was put to Pochettino, who laughed: ‘We are seeing. Maybe it will happen. If it means we have a one percent more chance to win the game for sure we will try it. But I don’t know if he is brave enough to jump.’

Jackson has split opinion since his summer arrival from Villarreal but Chelsea have experienced life without their main striker for the last five games.

Nicolas Jackson (pictured) could return for Chelsea against Liverpool this evening, Mauricio Pochettino has revealed

Jackson’s Senegal suffered a shock exit from the African Cup of Nations at the hands of the Ivory Coast on Monday

Pochettino (pictured) said he is ‘selfishly happy’ because it means Jackson can return sooner

Pochettino said: ‘We miss this aggressivity he provides. He runs a lot, the effort is massive and he helps the team to press high, recover and then to score goals because also he is scoring goals.

‘[I’m] sad they [Senegal] lose. But selfishly I’m happy because maybe he can be with us.’

Moises Caicedo will face Liverpool for the first time since he snubbed them to join Chelsea for a British-record £115m fee, £4m more than the deal the Anfield club also agreed with Brighton.

The money offered was proof both clubs believed Caicedo could be one of the world’s best midfielders according to Pochettino.

But he also insisted that nowadays big-money fees no longer mean ready-made stars are being signed.

Moises Caicedo, meanwhile, will face Liverpool for the first time since rejecting them for Chelsea in the summer

He said: ‘Sometimes the amount you pay is because they are going to come and the day after they will perform. But today it is completely different.

‘Remember when Zidane or Kaka went to Real Madrid – they paid a big amount of money. Zidane was 26 or 27. I think it took seven or eight months for him to perform because expectation is massive and adaptation is difficult. The pressure is massive.’