The return: Cole Palmer
Chelsea Football Newsletter
Palmer has not played for Chelsea since September 20 due to a persistent groin issue and last week’s freak toe fracture but has trained all week and is in contention to start at Stamford Bridge against the league leaders.
Enzo Maresca must decide whether to throw Palmer in from the start against the Gunners.
Pedro Neto started up front against Barcelona in Tuesday’s big 3-0 Champions League win as strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap were benched, but Maresca is likely to recall one or both of them to the starting lineup against Arsenal.
Maresca may also keep faith with the Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana centre-back partnership that worked well against Barca, though Tosin Adarabioyo and Josh Acheampong are waiting in reserve.
Mainstays Robert Sanchez and Marc Cucurella are expected to start in goal and at left-back respectively, as well as midfielders Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
Reece James and Malo Gusto took it in turns to switch between right-back and central midfield against Barcelona, but Fernandez could shift back to partner Caicedo, enabling Maresca to move Palmer into the No10 role.
There will be much clamour for Estevao Willian to start once more after his goalscoring heroics on Tuesday, but Maresca may feel he need to use Neto at right wing, with the Portuguese more experienced than the teenager in big games at the highest level.
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Maresca can choose between Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens on the left flank.
There are long-term injuries to Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo and Levi Colwill that leave them all still unavailable, although Essugo returned to team training on Friday for the first time since his thigh surgery back in September.
Chelsea predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Joao Pedro
Injured: Lavia, Colwill, Essugo
Venue: Stamford Bridge
TV: Sky Sports