Chelsea will remain without both Reece James and Romeo Lavia for Sunday’s Premier League London derby against Crystal Palace , but have no new injury concerns.
Blues captain James has yet to play this term after suffering a fresh hamstring issue during pre-season and manager Enzo Maresca said before Thursday night’s shock 2-1 defeat by Servette in the second leg of their Conference League play-off tie - for which he was initially registered in the squad - that he was not expected back until after the upcoming international break.
It is the same case for Romeo Lavia, who has been plagued by injury issues since joining Chelsea in a £58million deal with Southampton last summer and making just one appearance in total during his debut campaign.
The Belgian midfielder impressed in pre-season and started on the opening day of the Premier League term against Manchester City before coming on as a late substitute in the first-leg win over Servette, but is now sidelined again with his own hamstring problem.
Moises Caicedo has been carrying a knock of late but came on as a substitute in Switzerland on Thursday after starting in the 6-2 thrashing of Wolves last weekend, while new signing Joao Felix will return to the squad having scored on his second Chelsea debut at Molineux before being ineligible again to face Servette.
Any signings the Blues might yet make in the final portion of transfer deadline day will not be registered in time to face Palace, with the trip to Bournemouth on September 14 their next game in the Premier League.
Neither Malo Gusto nor Pedro Neto were involved against Servette, but neither are thought to be injured, while it is tough to imagine Maresca wanting to make too many changes to a team who put six goals past Wolves to kick-start his reign - especially given the disappointing display in Servette that made qualifying for the Conference League proper more nervy than it should have been.
The only change is likely to come in attack, with Mykhailo Mudryk replaced after 45 minutes against Wolves and Maresca admitting afterwards that he was not happy with the Ukrainian’s performance as he demanded more quality.
Neto replaced Mudryk - who started again on Thursday - against his former club, getting a late assist for Felix, and could do so from the start against Palace if he’s fully fit, though Felix is also an option as well as Christopher Nkunku, who stated his starting case by netting in both legs against Servette.
Robert Sanchez should return in goal at the expense of Filip Jorgensen, with Gusto - if fully fit himself - returning in defence along with Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella, with Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile and Renato Veiga dropping back out.
Caicedo is expected to come back in for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, while Enzo Fernandez - serving as Chelsea captain with James out - also started against Servette. Nkunku, Mudryk and Marc Guiu should all make way in attack, with main man Cole Palmer returning alongside Noni Madueke after the duo tore Wolves apart with three assists and goals respectively, leading to a maiden senior England call-up for the latter.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Madueke, Palmer, Neto, Jackson
Injured: James, Lavia
Doubts: None
Time and date: 1.30pm BST on Sunday September 1, 2024
Venue: Stamford Bridge
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