Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer pulled out of the England squad due to a muscular injury(Image: Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto)
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Chelsea are scheduled to take on an unnamed Championship side at the weekend in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
Due to the extended three-week international break, Xabi Alonso will want to keep those players who are not with their nations right now in some sort of rhythm with club football's return on the horizon.
With Bournemouth the visitors to Stamford Bridge in eight days' time, Alonso will be eager for his available Chelsea players to get the feel for a game-type scenario once again after having the last couple of weeks without a match.
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Also, there are a few injured players that we await to hear an update on that Alonso might be looking to give some minutes to. So, with that being said, football.london takes a look at what a possible Chelsea line-up could look like for the friendly.
Emiliano Martinez and Mike Penders are both on international duty with Argentina and Belgium, respectively, so there could be an opportunity for Teddy Sharman-Lowe or Gabriel Slonina.
Given Sharman-Lowe was given more minutes during Chelsea's pre-season tour, it could well be him in between the posts this weekend. There is also a world where Alonso looks to give both goalkeepers 45 minutes each in the friendly.
Maxence Lacroix is away with France and Josh Acheampong with England Under-21s, so Alonso does not have all of his defence to choose from. But this could pave the way for Aaron Anselmino to start in a back three alongside Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill.
Marco Palestra has been training for the last few weeks as he awaits to make his competitive debut for Chelsea since signing for £47million in the summer. Alonso will be desperate to give the Italian some minutes on the pitch, perhaps at right wing-back with Pep Chavarria on the other flank.
Marco Palestra
Marco Palestra is still waiting to make his official Chelsea debut(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
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Reggie Watson and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli could get some minutes but Alonso might look to start two senior options if they are available. Jordan Henderson made his Blues debut last time out against Brentford, while Moises Caicedo has played just 14 minutes since the beginning of the season.
Chelsea face an anxious wait regarding Caicedo, whose calf problem has plagued the start of his campaign. If the Ecuadorian is fit enough to feature, it would do him the world of good to get some minutes under his belt in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
The front three could be a bit of a makeshift one. Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, realistically, can't play because if information from the game was to get leaked, like it so often does, then England and Brazil could take issue given they both pulled out of international duty due to muscular injuries.
Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer
Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer celebrate(Image: Robin Jones)
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Malo Gusto could be given a role in the front three. At this point, it feels like we've seen the Frenchman used everywhere else on the pitch. With Alonso not blessed with options, Gusto could be used on the right-hand side of attack in a 3-4-3.
Kendry Paez has been working with Cobham Next Gen - Chelsea's newly-named Under-21s side - in recent times, with Alonso confirming last month that the Ecuadorian is not part of his first-team plans this season. Paez will be hoping to get some minutes and could be the inside forward off the left-hand side, playing behind the No.9 Danny Welbeck.
Possible Chelsea XI (3-4-3): Sharman-Lowe; Fofana, Anselmino, Colwill; Palestra, Henderson, Caicedo, Chavarria; Gusto, Paez, Welbeck
Other first-team players not on international duty: Gabriel Slonina, Reece James, Emmanuel Emegha, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer