Graham Potter must make many crucial selections for the Chelsea team before the Blues' Premier League match against Southampton on Saturday. Due to the injury issue in west London at the time, seven players were acquired in the January transfer window. But, with several of those players now back to full fitness, Potter has a serious matchday roster dilemma.
Reece James has been the only one of the returning big injury absentees to play consistently, though Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell have both received playing time, with the latter earning his first start in more than three months against Borussia Dortmund.
Chilwell and Sterling, however, appeared to be question marks for the weekend after each suffering injuries. But on Friday, Potter provided a "good" report."We're going to train later on this afternoon so providing they come through that okay there's every chance they make the squad." However, there are also reports that James could be rested for the clash at Stamford Bridge.
Denis Zakaria, Mateo Kovacic and Wesley Fofana are also on the brink of being given game time after the trio were all on the bench in Germany. Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will no doubt be hoping for a start alongside Enzo Fernandez with Loftus-Cheek the current partner of the World Cup winner.
With Zakaria and Kovacic available again though, Loftus-Cheek, if named in the starting XI, could face an early substitution with three players now fighting for a spot in the midfield.
Kalidou Koulibaly certainly staked his claim for a first Premier League start in a month following his assured performance in the Champions League. Meanwhile, David Datro Fofana and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will likely both feel they can help Chelsea's current goal scoring woes, best on display at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.
With that said, here is the full list of players Potter can choose his matchday squad from as Chilwell and Sterling likely face late fitness tests.
Goalkeepers: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcus Bettinelli, Lucas Bergstrom.
Defenders: Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Kalidou Koulibaly, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana.
Midfielders: Enzo Fernandez, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount, Denis Zakaria, Conor Gallagher, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lewis Hall.
Forwards: Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, David Datro Fofana, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Raheem Sterling.
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