Graham Potter has made just one change to his Chelsea side for this afternoon's Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground – with club captain Cesar Azpilicueta coming in at right-back for the injured Reece James.
Chelsea made a winning return from the World Cup break as they overcame Bournemouth 2-0 on Tuesday. Yet the Blues will need to claim another three points as they bid to move up the top-flight table and claw their way back into the Champions League places.
There remain several absences for Potter to contend with. James (knee), Wesley Fofana (knee), Ben Chilwell (hamstring), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (thigh) and N'Golo Kante (hamstring) are not fit to feature. There are returns to the squad, however, for Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech following their participation at the World Cup for Croatia and Morocco respectively.
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Kepa Arrizabalga keeps his place in goal and is set to remain as the club's first-choice goalkeeper during the second half of the campaign. Edouard Mendy, who missed the victory over Bournemouth due to injury, remains absent. Marcus Bettinelli is the substitute goalkeeper.
Azpilicueta lines up on what is expected to be a back four. That will see Kalidou Koulibaly continue as the right centre-back alongside Thiago Silva, who has shaken off a knock sustained in Tuesday's win to start once more. Marc Cucurella continues at left-back in the absence of Chilwell.
Jorginho is set to continue at the base of midfield and will be flanked by both Mason Mount and Denis Zakaria. The Switzerland international was rarely used during the first half of the campaign but has now worked his way into Potter's starting XI.
Kai Havertz is set to lead the attack once more; the German scored against Bournemouth and also bagged a hat-trick in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Brentford before Christmas. In the wide positions, both Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic are given another opportunity to impress.
Chelsea: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Koulibaly, Silva, Cucurella; Jorginho, Mount, Zakaria; Sterling, Havertz, Pulisic
Chelsea substitutes: Bettinelli, Chalobah, Chukwuemeka, Gallagher, Hall, Kovacic, Hutchinson, Ziyech, Aubameyang
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