Enzo Maresca returns to face his old side Leicester on Saturday as Chelsea resume a Premier League season that has shown plenty of promise so far.
The Blues sit third in the league, just four points off Manchester City in second, and have produced some eye-catching results over the last month or so despite some mixed overall performances.
The club’s squad size means that Maresca is better-equipped to deal with injuries than most other managers, though some key players have missed extended periods, including club captain Reece James, fellow full-back Malo Gusto and summer signing Jadon Sancho.
With a potentially difficult run of fixtures - that includes matches against Tottenham and Aston Villa – Maresca will be keen to get his squad back to full fitness.
He hinted that Chelsea are close, saying on Thursday: “We have for sure just one injured player and that’s Reece [James] ... The rest are better or a doubt.”
Reece James
Chelsea captain Reece James has suffered yet another injury and will miss the team’s Premier League match with Leicester City this weekend.
James missed the start of the season with a hamstring injury but returned against Liverpool last month, playing nearly an hour of the Premier League defeat. He also started games against Newcastle United and Manchester United and came off the bench against Arsenal before last week’s the international break.
But the 24-year-old right-back is back on the treatment table after picking up another hamstring injury in training this week.
“It’s a hamstring issue, a muscle problem,” manager Enzo Maresca said on Thursday. “He felt something small and we don’t want to take any risks for the weekend.”
There were worries over a potential injury to the Chelsea talisman after a raking challenge from Lisandro Martinez in the draw to Manchester United, but Palmer returned and completed the full 90 minutes against Arsenal. However, he was seen moving unusually – as if uncomfortable – after that match and subsequently withdrew from the England squad, so it remains to be seen if that was just a precaution.
Possible return: Leicester City, Saturday 23 November
The loan signing made a promising start to life in west London but his lat appearance came against Liverpool in October, with the England international missing matches due to a knock and an unspecified illness. However, he should be in line to make a return soon, with Maresca not revealing the extent of his problems.
Possible return: Leicester City, Saturday 23 November
Colwill also played against Arsenal but like Palmer, later withdrew from the England squad with an unspecified issue. With Chelsea unwilling to provide more details, it probably means it was a precautionary measure more than anything else, though more information may come to light this week.
Possible return: Leicester City, Saturday 23 November
Romeo Lavia
Lavia has impressed pundits and fans alike after his return from a long injury layoff, though he was only able to complete 70 minutes of the game against Arsenal. He had originally hoped to be fit for Belgium’s Nations League matches, but manager Domenico Tedesco left him out of the squad, telling the media that the player had a hamstring problem.
Possible return: Leicester City, Saturday 23 November
Malo Gusto
Gusto was also forced off in the draw against Arsenal, with an injury that did require a lengthy period of treatment, and he subsequently withdrew from the France U21 squad after an assessment at Clairefontaine. However, little is known about the nature or extent of the issue.
Possible return: Leicester City, Saturday 23 November
Wesley Fofana
Fofana completed the full 90 minutes against Arsenal, though he was forced to withdraw from the senior France squad due to pain in his left knee. While the extent of the pain – or even whether it is an injury – are yet unknown, he can’t yet be expected to return for the weekend’s game against his old side.
Possible return: Leicester City, Saturday 23 November
