After a two-week hiatus for the conclusion of the Nations League group stage, the Premier League makes its return this weekend and third-placed Chelsea will be hoping to continue how they left off in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at Enzo Maresca’s former club, Leicester.
The Blues may have won only one of their last five Premier League matches but they have had a tough recent schedule and the 1-1 draw at home to London rivals Arsenal prior to the international break was filled with promise.
Chelsea’s only defeat in five away league games this season came at leaders Liverpool and they should be fancying their chances at Leicester, who find themselves only three points clear of the drop after 11 matches.
The Foxes have won only one of their five outings at the King Power Stadium and they must respond to a three-game winless sequence, having been brushed aside 3-0 at Manchester United last time out.
Team news
Abdul Fatawu and Jordan Ayew are major doubts for Leicester after the pair suffered injuries on international duty and Facundo Buonanotte is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the campaign in the loss to Manchester United.
However, Patson Daka could be included in a matchday squad for the first time this season, while captain Jamie Vardy is back in training and expected to feature.
Despite withdrawing from the England squad, Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer are both likely to be fit for Chelsea, while Jadon Sancho is also available having battled injury and illness in recent weeks.
Romeo Lavia and Malo Gusto were forced off in that draw with Arsenal and must be assessed along with Wesley Fofana, who withdrew from the French squad with a knee injury.
The stats
Leicester have won only two of their opening 11 Premier League matches and have failed to triumph in four of their five home fixtures.
Chelsea have lost only one of their five away league games, winning on trips to Wolves, Bournemouth and West Ham.
Both teams have scored in eight of Chelsea’s last 10 Premier League matches and in nine of Leicester’s 11 top-flight outings this term.
The Foxes have conceded 21 goals in 11 league matches, with only Wolves and Ipswich having been breached more.
Prediction
Maresca returns to his former employers Leicester having made an excellent start to life as Chelsea manager, with the Blues third after 11 games following only two defeats.
When you consider that those losses came against the top two, Manchester City and Liverpool, Chelsea have been extremely successful in the early stages of Maresca’s reign and they should have too much quality for Leicester.
That said, there are still some teething problems and Chelsea are finding clean sheets especially hard to come by, suggesting that Leicester may be able to grab a consolation strike.
The Blues have seen both teams score in six straight league matches and they may have to win another high-scoring encounter at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester have some attacking absentees to contend with, but talisman Vardy looks set to make his return and they have seen both teams score in nine of their 11 league outings, which includes an away trip to Arsenal and home games with Aston Villa and Tottenham.