Chelsea prepare to take on Tottenham for the fourth time this season and the third time this month when they go head-to-head at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in the Premier League.
The Blues have already faced Antonio Conte’s side twice in January after their two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final, defeating their opponents 2-0 (January 5) and 1-0 (January 12) to advance to the final at Wembley next month.
And now they will meet on Sunday for their second meeting in the league, with Chelsea in desperate need of three points to get back to winning ways.
Tuchel’s side are coming off the back of another disappointing 1-1 draw against Brighton on Tuesday, with the German boss prepared to rest his ‘tired’ players for the visit of Spurs.
Here is all you need to know about the current state of play at Stamford Bridge, as well as the potential return dates for those on the sidelines.
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Andreas Christensen
Defender Andreas Christensen has missed Chelsea’s last two games following a positive Covid-19 test last week.
This meant that the defender missed out against Manchester City on Saturday and Brighton on Tuesday, however it is expected that his period of isolation may have ended by the time Spurs visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Christensen could well return to the side this weekend, but that will depend on his fitness levels and how well he has recovered from Covid.
Trevoh Chalobah
Youngster Trevoh Chalobah continues to recover from a hamstring strain he sustained in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on January 2.
Following that game, Tuchel revealed that it was a re-injury from before but it has subsequently sidelined him for longer.
There is no official return date for Chalobah as of yet but it is expected that he could be out for another 2-3 weeks.
Reece James
Full back Reece James remains out with a serious hamstring injury that he picked up during the draw with Brighton at the end of December.
The defender suffered a tear in his hamstring and was set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines as a result, meaning he has not played since December 29.
However, James is expected to be out for another month although it looks as though the end of February could be a possible return date for the England international.
Ben Chilwell
Ben Chilwell remains out for the season following a torn ACL during the 4-0 victory over Juventus in November.
He has since undergone surgery, although he is not set to feature for the remainder of the campaign.
Speaking on December 31, Tuchel said: “Chilly of course has had his surgery and he has our best wishes. Unfortunately, it seems like the season is over for him."
Edouard Mendy
Edouard Mendy remains on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal and his return date is dependent on how far his side makes it in the tournament.
Mendy recovered from Covid-19 to start in Senegal’s final group game on Tuesday, in which they drew 0-0 with Malawi to finish top of Group B.
This now sees ‘The Lions of Terranga’ advance to the knockout stages, with their Last 16 tie set to take place on January 25.
