Chelsea welcome back Reece James as they bid to kickstart a Premier League revival against Bournemouth today.
James has been out since suffering a knee ligament injury in early October and missed the World Cup with England. But the right-back has been working his way back to full fitness and returns this evening to give Chelsea a major boost as they resume Premier League action.
“Reece is back,” said Chelsea manager Graham Potter in his pre-match press conference, before naming the player in his starting lineup.
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Wesley Fofana misses the game after the defender limped off in a friendly against Brentford B last week after suffering a setback in his recovery from his own knee injury.
“Wesley just had a little setback, as can sometimes happen at the very last stage of rehab,” said Potter. “So he will be a couple of weeks.”
Neither Mateo Kovacic or Hakim Ziyech are available after playing in the third-place play-off at the World Cup last weekend, with a rare start for Juventus loanee Denis Zakaria in midfield.
Chelsea have lost Armando Broja for the rest of the season due to a knee injury and Potter is without a number of first-team players against Bournemouth.
Kepa Arrizabalaga starts in goal after struggling with a calf issue. Edouard Mendy has only just returned to training following the World Cup.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has a heel problem, Ben Chilwell a thigh issue and N’Golo Kante is out until at least February after hamstring surgery.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is only a substitute tonight, along with youngsters Carney Chukwuemeka, Omari Hutchinson, Lewis Hall and Bashir Humphreys.
Chelsea starting XI: Kepa, James, Koulibaly, Thiago Silva, Cucurella, Jorginho, Zakaria, Mount, Sterling, Havertz, Pulisic
Subs: Aubameyang, Bettinelli, Chalobah, Gallagher, Azpilicueta, Chukwuemeka, Hutchinson, Hall, Humphreys
Tuesday December 27, 5.30pm GMT, Amazon Prime Video
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Referee: Simon Hooper
Injured: Broja (knee), Chilwell (thigh), Kante (hamstring).
Unavailable: Ziyech, Kovacic.
