In what is a nightmare bit of scheduling for any team, Chelsea are now preparing for their second game against Manchester City in just three days.
The Blues were a tad unfortunate to be beaten 1-0 by the champions at Stamford Bridge on Thursday in the Premier League. A second-half goal from Riyad Mahrez was enough for the visitors to record all three points in London.
Chelsea were very impressive in the first-half but City turned it on somewhat in the second period and controlled the game a lot more. It was another match where Chelsea lost players due to injuries – with Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic both limping off in the first-half.
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That's now 10 first-team players who have injury problems for the Blues. It leaves Graham Potter with just around 18 senior players to choose from for the trip to the Etihad Stadium. With that said, football.london does its best at trying to predict what line-up Potter will choose this afternoon.
Edouard Mendy has undergone an operation on a fractured finger after picking up the injury in training recently. So the 30-year-old is set for a spell on the sidelines, meaning Kepa Arrizabalaga should continue in goal in Manchester.
If Potter continues with the four-back formation he's used since the World Cup break, then Cesar Azpilicueta is the only real option at right-back. I'd personally hand a rest to Thiago Silva, who has played so much football recently, and bring in Trevoh Chalobah.
New signing Benoit Badiashile is eligible to play, but a start may come too soon for the 21-year-old, who has only featured in a couple of training sessions with his new teammates so far. Wesley Fofana is still out injured.
Lewis Hall could come in at left-back after an impressive cameo off the bench on Thursday. Every single time the 18-year-old has played for the senior team he has impressed, so it would be nice to see him play at the Etihad for the second time this season after his Carabao Cup outing in November.
Conor Gallagher could come into the side after he showed some great energy off the bench on Thursday. The England international hasn't been given too much of an opportunity under Potter yet, so today could be the time he comes into the side, perhaps alongside Jorginho and Carney Chukwuemeka.
The latter, Chukwuemeka, was so impressive after coming on against Man City on Thursday. He was very unfortunate not to score as his low effort hit the post but his overall performance caught the eye of many Chelsea supporters at the stadium or watching from home.
The front three is an interesting one. Omari Hutchinson was another player who came on against City in the week. The 19-year-old winger sort of played within himself, which is understandable on his senior debut for the side, so it may be that Potter gives the teenager another chance today.
Hakim Ziyech's performances of late have improved and the Moroccan may get another chance to impress in today's match. Kai Havertz or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? It's a flip of a coin, really, but I've gone with the former.
Predicted line-up: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Hall; Jorginho, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka; Hutchinson, Ziyech, Havertz.
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