Chelsea have been boosted by the return of Reece James, Romeo Lavia, and Noni Madueke as they prepare to face Bournemouth in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
The Blues are eager to bounce back after going winless in their last four league matches, despite securing an emphatic FA Cup victory over Morecambe on Saturday.
Reece James and Romeo Lavia made their comebacks from hamstring injuries in that game, each playing 45 minutes. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed that the duo emerged unscathed and are ready for further action.
“We are very happy for both,” Maresca said. “They played 45 minutes the other day and are available for the next games. As I said since we’ve started, we are going to try and manage them both because they are a bit delicate situations.”
Meanwhile, Noni Madueke, who missed the FA Cup tie due to illness, is now “100 per cent fit” and in contention to feature.
Chelsea XI vs Bournemouth
Maresca rotated heavily against Morecambe, making 10 changes to his starting lineup. A similar overhaul is expected for the Bournemouth clash, with the likes of Josh Acheampong potentially retaining his spot at center-back following a solid performance.
Predicted Chelsea XI
Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Goalkeeper: Sanchez
- Defenders: Gusto, Acheampong, Colwill, Cucurella
- Midfielders: Fernandez, Caicedo
- Attackers: Neto, Palmer, Sancho
- Forward: Jackson
Injury and Availability Updates
- Injured: Wesley Fofana, Benoît Badiashile, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Omari Kellyman
- Unavailable: Mykhailo Mudryk
Match Details
- Date and Time: Tuesday, January 14, 2025, 7:30 PM GMT
- Venue: Stamford Bridge
- TV Channel and Live Stream: TNT Sports
Chelsea fans will be hopeful that the return of key players and fresh momentum from their FA Cup win can ignite their Premier League campaign as they look to climb the table against Bournemouth.
