Chelsea will be looking to bounce back from their 4-0 thumping at the hands of Bournemouth, with Maurizio Sarri and his side under increasing pressure following back-to-back defeats in the league.
The Blues, who are fifth in the table, had recorded two cup wins prior to the heavy loss at the Vitality Stadium, although defeat to Arsenal on January 19, coupled with the Bournemouth result, has cranked up the pressure on Sarri.
It may come as a welcome relief that they face bottom-club Huddersfield Town at home in their next fixture, then, with the Terriers having recorded just two victories in the league this season.
Chelsea Injuries
Sarri cast doubt over the fitness of Gonzalo Higuain after he struggled on his Premier League debut. The Italian has said that his new recruit has “back pain” and that he is not in top shape yet, meaning he could drop out against Huddersfield.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have no other injuries to speak of, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Andreas Christensen having returned from their minor layoffs.
Gary Cahill and Davide Zappacosta have been missing for most of January due to speculation over their future, but they could be reintroduced after the transfer window closed in England and most of Europe.
Suspensions
Neither Chelsea nor Huddersfield have any suspensions to contend with ahead of Saturday’s match.
Chelsea Potential Starting Line-Up
Chelsea will continue to play what Sarri considers their strongest team as they aim to get out of a winter rut that has seen them score just 13 goals in their last 13 games in the league.
Emerson Palmieri has appeared to have emerged as the club’s first-choice left-back, after spending his first 12 months at Chelsea behind Marcos Alonso in the pecking order for that position.
Sarri’s team selections have been broadly predictable otherwise, as they line up in a 4-3-3, with N’Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Kepa Arrizabalaga having started every league match.
Huddersfield Team News
Aaron Mooy’s return against Everton has provided a timely boost in what has been a poor season for the Yorkshire club.
Manager Jan Siewert will be without Danny s, while Tom Billing is also a doubt for their trip to west London.
TV channel & kick-off time
The match at Stamford Bridge kicks off at 3:00pm GMT (10:00am ET) on Saturday but won’t be shown on TV in the UK. In the US, the game is available on NBC Sports.
Best Opta Match Facts
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Chelsea have lost just one of their last 16 matches against Huddersfield Town in all competitions (W11 D4), a 0-1 defeat in the League Cup third round in October 1999.
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Chelsea are looking to avoid three consecutive Premier League defeats for the first time since November 2015.
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Chelsea have failed to score in three of their last six home Premier League games, more than they had in their previous 21 combined in the competition (2).
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The last permanent Huddersfield Town manager to win his first away league match in charge was Neil Warnock in August 1993, a 3-2 win at Rotherham United in the third tier.
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Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has had a hand in nine goals in his last seven Premier League appearances against sides starting the day bottom (5 goals, 4 assists).
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