Chelsea will aim to bounce back from a disappointing defeat when they travel to the south coast to face AFC Bournemouth this weekend, but both sides are grappling with a lengthy list of absentees.
Bournemouth's Selection Crisis
The home side, managed by Andoni Iraola, have been hit hard by injuries and suspensions. Winger Ben Gannon-Doak is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious hamstring injury while playing for Scotland. Iraola confirmed the bad news, stating the player could be out for months and may even require surgery.
Fellow Scot Ryan Christie is also unavailable until later this month. To compound matters, midfielders Lewis Cook and Tyler Adams are both suspended for the Chelsea fixture. Defender Matai Akinmboni remains in the treatment room, though Marcos Senesi and David Brooks are available again after serving bans.
Chelsea's Midfield Blow and Defensive Absence
For Chelsea, the major concern is the continued absence of key midfielder Moises Caicedo, who must serve the second of a three-match ban following his red card against Arsenal. His influence was missed in the 3-1 loss at Leeds United.
There is a significant long-term blow in defence, as Levi Colwill will miss the rest of the season after undergoing successful surgery for an ACL injury. Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the defender has begun his rehabilitation.
Mixed News for Maresca's Squad
There is a positive boost with attacking midfielder Cole Palmer returning to full fitness after appearing as a substitute at Elland Road. Maresca also reported no new injuries from his pre-match press conference.
However, Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia remain unavailable, while winger Mykhailo Mudryk is suspended. A late decision will be made on captain Reece James, who was an unused substitute against Leeds and requires assessment. Andrey Santos started in midfield last time out alongside Enzo Fernandez.
Despite the selection headaches, Chelsea, who currently sit fourth in the Premier League table, will still be targeting a positive result at the Vitality Stadium to recover from their recent setback.
