Potter gives update on Chelsea team news ahead of hosting Southampton
Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has some tough decisions to make for his side as the reality of the club's extraordinary £323million spending spree in January sets in. The Blues boss has an array of talented options to choose from for Saturday's home clash with Premier League bottom club Southampton, but the bloated nature of his squad means some players are likely to miss out on the squad entirely.
Benoit Badadiashile, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Noni Madueke, who were all left out of the Champions League squad for the knockout stages, will be in contention for starting spots as Potter considers making changes from the team that lost 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. Similarly, Mateo Kovacic and Raheem Sterling are set to return to the squad, having missed the 1-1 draw with West Ham due to injury.
There are still three long-term absentees for the west London club, with Edouard Mendy, Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja all sidelined for the foreseeable future. But Potter will have to find a way to juggle the 28 available players for selection as he ponders his starting XI for the must-win game.
Express Sport looks at who he could select as part of six changes for the game at Stamford Bridge.
Graham Potter: The Chelsea boss has decisions to make for the Southampton game (Image: Getty Images)
Goalkeeper - Kepa Arrizabalaga
The Spaniard was left exposed by Karim Adeyemi after being rounded by the German winger in the 1-0 defeat, but otherwise enjoyed a decent game between the sticks. And with Mendy still sidelined, Arrizabalaga will continue in goal having kept three clean sheets in his last four appearances.
Reserve goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli should be on the bench if first-choice stopper Arrizabalaga picks up an injury prior to the game.
Defenders - Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Marc Cucurella
Wesley Fofana could make his first Chelsea appearance since October 5 after spending three months sidelined with a recurring knee problem.
The £70million centre-back has only made three Premier League appearances since his move from Leicester. But he travelled to Dortmund for the midweek clash, suggesting the Frenchman is fit again to play for the Blues if selected.
His return could allow Thiago Silva some much-needed rest, while Benoit Badiasile's form since arriving from Monaco should see him regain his place ahead of Kalidou Koulibaly.
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Wesley Fofana: The centre-back has not played since October 5 (Image: Getty)
Midfielders - Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez, Mason Mount
Chelsea's £107m signing Fernandez may appreciate reverting back to a three-man midfield after showing his first signs of difficulty in a blue shirt since his record-breaking switch in midweek. The 22-year-old was left somewhat exposed for the goal that condemned the Blues to defeat in Dortmund.
Potter will have noticed the lack of energy in the midfield duo of Fernandez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, which may open up a chance for Conor Gallagher to earn a start. The box-to-box operator opted to stay at the club instead of secure a loan move away and Potter could reward the 23-year-old, with Mateo Kovacic only just back in the squad and N'Golo Kante recovering.
Similarly, Mount was left on the bench for the away tie in Germany after a dip in form of late. But with Chelsea needing a win and reasons to convince the midfielder to stick around amid his ongoing contract saga, he could be brought back into the side.
Mykhaylo Mudryk: The Chelsea starlet could drop to the bench (Image: Getty)
Forwards - Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, Joao Felix
Potter provided an update on Sterling's fitness in his press conference on Friday and hinted the £47.5m signing - still Chelsea's top league goalscorer this season despite his recent injury - could be in line for a recall ahead of Hakim Ziyech.
“It’s positive. We are going to train later. Providing they come through that okay, good chance they’ll be in squad,” he told reporters.
Kai Havertz went another game without a goal after failing to find the target against West Ham too, but the German is expected to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and David Fofana out of the team.
Joao Felix, who scored his first goal for the club in that game, could shift out to the left in place of Mykhaylo Mudryk after the Ukrainian was brought off in midweek.
Chelsea's possible starting XI to face Southampton: Arrizabalaga; James, Fofana, Badiashile, Cucurella; Gallagher, Fernandez, Mount; Sterling, Havertz, Felix;
