Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca will not be on the touchline for Saturday's Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest, but the Italian still has many a selection dilemma to solve.
The Blues boss is serving a one-game suspension for his red card in the 2-1 win over Liverpool prior to the international break, having been unable to restrain himself after Estevao's last-minute winner.
Maresca joins Liam Delap (hamstring), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Mykhaylo Mudryk (doping ban) as guaranteed absentees for Saturday, while all of Enzo Fernandez (knee) Cole Palmer (groin), Andrey Santos (knock), Reece James (knock), Wesley Fofana (concussion) and Tosin Adarabioyo (calf) are uncertain at the time of writing.
However, Trevoh Chalobah is eligible to play again following suspension, while the issues that forced Benoit Badiashile and Josh Acheampong off against Liverpool were not severe.
The latter pair are therefore expected to be fine for Saturday, but Fofana will surely now be given the all-clear to return from concussion protocol, so the Frenchman and Chalobah could line up in front of Robert Sanchez.
James and Fernandez are not thought to be nursing serious issues, but Chelsea should exercise caution over the former in particular, so Malo Gusto should operate at right-back with Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo in the double pivot.
Fernandez's loss could be compatriot Facundo Buonanotte's gain in the number 10 role - if Palmer is still not passed fit - and the young Argentine should be flanked by Estevao and Pedro Neto in support of chief attacking threat Joao Pedro.
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Buonanotte, Neto; Pedro
> Click here to see how Nottingham Forest could line up for this game
ID:583637:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect2998:
No Data Analysis info