Chelsea face a testing Premier League fixture away to Newcastle United this afternoon, but manager Enzo Maresca will have to navigate the match without two key attacking players.
Injury Blow for Chelsea Attack
The Blues make the journey to St James' Park for their final match before Christmas, aiming to build on last weekend's victory over Everton. However, they will be missing summer signing Liam Delap. The striker suffered a shoulder injury during the first half of the goalless draw with Bournemouth and was forced off the pitch.
While the club remains hopeful the problem is not serious, with a potential return against Aston Villa on 27 December not ruled out, today's game comes too soon. Another absentee is Brazilian winger Estevao Willian, who is sidelined with a minor muscle issue that also kept him out of the midweek Carabao Cup win over Cardiff City.
Returning Stars and Predicted Lineup
There is more positive news elsewhere in the squad. Midfielder Moises Caicedo is available again after serving a three-match suspension. Maresca is also expected to recall several first-team regulars who were rested for the cup fixture.
Players like Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernandez, and Cole Palmer are all likely to return to the starting eleven. The midweek match-winners, Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto, who came off the bench to score against Cardiff, are also strong candidates to start from the outset against Newcastle.
The long-term absentees remain midfielder Romeo Lavia and defender Levi Colwill, but otherwise Chelsea have a relatively clean bill of health heading into the busy festive schedule.
Match Details and Viewing Information
The Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Chelsea kicks off at 12:30pm on Saturday 20 December. The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1, with streaming available via the Discovery+ app.
For Chelsea, the focus will be on securing three points before a full week of preparation for their next game against Aston Villa, when the returns of Delap and Estevao could provide a further boost.
