Chelsea are back into Premier League action on Saturday when they welcome Leeds United to Stamford Bridge. Graham Potter will be hoping that his side can taste victory for the first time since the visit of Crystal Palace in January, having scored just once in six fixtures since.
The Blues were outplayed at Elland Road back in August having seen a promising start capitulate into a 3-0 defeat with Edouard Mendy's error perhaps one of the more notorious moments. There was, of course, the familiar flurry of missed half-chances that has seen the Blues struggle so much this term.
Chelsea cannot afford the same situation as against Southampton to occur again, with Javi Gracia's side in the midst of a relegation battle and under a new manager. Simply put, Chelsea need to find some momentum to turn around their form.
READ MORE : Graham Potter has already hinted at Chelsea's ideal Thiago Silva replacement for Leeds clash
Potter has no shortage of players to attempt to do that. football.london takes a look at the changes Chelsea's head coach could make for the clash against Leeds.
Wesley Fofana to replace Thiago Silva
With Thiago Silva set to miss matches until after the international break, a change in the backline is guaranteed. If the game against Spurs is anything to go by, the natural player to replace the Brazilian veteran is Wesley Fofana, who has not started since the Champions League game against AC Milan in which he suffered his own knee injury in October.
It is a natural progression for the Frenchman, who made consecutive substitute appearances against Tottenham and Southampton, though he will have competition from Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile and Kalidou Koulibaly.
The only question will be whether he is fit enough to play both against Leeds and Dortmund and that could give Chalobah the edge.
Benoit Badiashile to replace Kalidou Koulibaly
Benoit Badiashile has barely put a foot wrong since arriving at Chelsea in January. The young Frenchman was a surprise exclusion against Tottenham, thanks to the blossoming partnership he and Silva have started to produce, with Koulibaly starting ahead of him in the left centre-back role.
Badiashile has only looked uncertain in the opening half against Southampton when he was partnered with Koulibaly, and his progression in the second period of that game with the introduction of Fofana is certainly promising for another possible partnership. If the duo were to reignite their partnership again, it would allow the Blues to rely on the duos pace to play a high line in a bid to press Leeds hard further forward and to remain firmly on the front foot.
However, again Champions League plans may take priority. Badiashile is not in that squad and Potter may hope to give a duo time together ahead of a crucial game.
Denis Zakaria starts
Potter has yet to find a perfect combination in the centre of midfield since Enzo Fernandez arrived at the club. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic, Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount have all been involved in various systems with the record signing.
While Zakaria had a brief outing with Fernandez against Spurs, it was his first game since returning from injury and he can only benefit from those minutes. The Swiss international is a different profile to his teammates and perhaps has the greatest engine to get up and down the pitch amidst a physical battle, carrying the ball and winning it back.
Those qualities will allow Fernandez to pick and choose his moments, while still being able to clear up play that Zakaria's hassling could cause. The midfielder may not be ready for 90 minutes but it would be positive to see him earn some extended time on the pitch.
READ NEXT :
Chelsea star avoids Graham Potter's greatest transfer problem and contemplates Blues future
Chelsea's summer transfer priority clear but latest Graham Potter blow asks Todd Boehly question
N'Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic return, Mateo Kovacic boost - Chelsea train ahead of Leeds
Chelsea transfer confirmed as Todd Boehly solves issue with January deal
Mauricio Pochettino to Chelsea latest: Graham Potter timeline, Tottenham stance, job 'rejected'
