CHELSEA return to the Premier League against Bournemouth faced with a major injury crisis.
Graham Potter’s Blues host the Cherries next Tuesday in their first match since the winter World Cup.
Croatia’s Mateo Kovacic and Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech were Chelsea’s longest lasting players in Qatar and as a result miss out.
Potter said: “We’re still waiting on Hakim and Mateo.
“They went to the third/fourth place play-off and played the games, so a big demand for those two.
“It’s important to give them a little bit of time. They won’t be available for the game as a consequence.”
On an injury front, Chelsea have a growing list out with N’Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja, Wesley Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek out.
Reece James and Edouard Mendy are back training but remain doubts for the Bournemouth match.
It means Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga is likely to start in goal having missed the last two league games through injury.
Chelsea have rotated formations under Potter, deploying a back-five and 4-3-3 set up.
Due to Potter’s lack of wing-backs he could be expected to return to a back four.
With James injured, Cesar Azpilicueta would be favourite to start at right-back with Marc Cucurella on the left.
Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly could make up the centre-back pairing but Trevoh Chalobah is an alternate option.
In midfield, Jorginho has trained throughout the World Cup after Italy’s failure to qualify.
He is in line to anchor the midfield alongside the likes of Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher and Denis Zakaria.
Going forward, Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are available to start.
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