Chelsea may well be wishing that the impending international break wasn't approaching so fast. Go back two weeks and the opposite would have been true but now there is a sense of real momentum in the team.
Graham Potter's side managed to overcome Leicester on Saturday to record their third win in a week, silencing doubters for now. Although victories over the bottom five don't settle things completely, it has been reward for sticking through a tough couple of months.
It's also worth noting that Chelsea did it without Thiago Silva or Reece James. Both players missed the game due to injury and illness. Meanwhile there was no return for Mason Mount either. Edouard Mendy also continued his spell on the sidelines. At the start of the season it would have been hard to imagine the Blues winning matches without that core set of players.
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Silva won't be back until after the international break though there is a chance he may make at least one leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. Mendy is back in training but still remains out after fracturing his finger earlier in the season. Add in Armando Broja and there are still three long-term absentees in the squad.
Mount is more likely to return to the squad quickly. He was suspended against Borussia Dortmund but missed the win before that against Leeds with injury. "Mason’s had a problem with his lower abdomen area, the bone, so he’ll miss the game tomorrow," Potter said. "We hope it won’t be too long but tomorrow will be too soon."
As for fellow midfielder N'Golo Kante, he is getting closer but still remains out and is unlikely to feature against Everton as well having not played since August. "We aiming maybe for Everton. Unfortunately, not for tomorrow," Potter said on Friday. The Frenchman won't be rushed back due to the nature of his consistent setbacks for well over two years now.
Cesar Azpilicueta has returned to training but is another that hasn't been seen in a squad since his head injury against Southampton, it is unknown how he is recovering. Raheem Sterling, who played in midweek but not against the Foxes, should be fit for a return. "Raheem has a feeling in his hamstring, more tight than anything, so he's a doubt," explained Potter.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also went another week without playing. "Aubameyang has a slight problem with his back, so he won't make it. Apart from that, everyone is okay," Potter said.
The injuries are still racking up with seven players either ruled out already or massive concerns for the game against Everton on Saturday. Meanwhile doubts remain on Aubameyang, Sterling, James and Mount.
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