Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso says he expects to welcome back a host of key players when the Blues host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Cherries’ visit represents Chelsea’s first Premier League match in 22 days, following the 3-0 defeat at Brentford before the international break.
Key players declared fit
Joao Pedro missed that game as well as international duty with Brazil, with Standard Sport revealing that he had seen a specialist in London to try to speed up his recovery from a knee injury.
At his press conference on Friday, Alonso said of Joao Pedro and fellow injury doubts Moises Caicedo, Reece James, Cole Palmer and Marco Palestra: “They are ready to go tomorrow.”
It remains to be seen which of them, and how many, Alonso names in his starting lineup to face Marco Rose’s side.
Team news and predicted lineup
Jamie Gittens is unavailable and expected to be out a number of weeks after picking up an ankle injury with the England Under-21s that led him to leave the stadium on crutches following a game against Kazakhstan.
In recent games, Alonso has switched between a 3-4-2-1 formation and a 4-2-3-1, not only within games but in his starting lineups.
Alonso has not handed much game time to Geovany Quenda or Estevao in Chelsea’s first five Premier League games.
Chelsea predicted XI vs Bournemouth (3-4-2-1): Martinez; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Palestra, James, Caicedo, Hato; Rogers, Palmer; Joao Pedro
Injured: Gittens
Match details
Time and date: 3pm BST on Saturday October 10, 2026
Venue: Stamford Bridge
TV channel: Match not televised in the UK due to the 3pm blackout
