Chelsea vs Bournemouth : 3 things to look out for

Chelsea are back in action as club football returns following the first international break of the season. The Blues will compete in three different tournaments before the next break. This Saturday, they travel to Bournemouth, a team unbeaten in the league and currently ahead of Chelsea in the standings.

Here are three key talking points ahead of the game:

1. Player Fitness and Availability

While Chelsea's injury woes aren't as severe as last season, there are still notable concerns for the fans. Both senior right-backs remain sidelined, with neither returning to full training. Club captain Reece James, having served his suspension, is still some way off match fitness, according to head coach Enzo Maresca. Meanwhile, Malo Gusto, who was substituted during the last match against Crystal Palace due to injury, is also unavailable for Saturday.

In midfield, Romeo Lavia is not expected to feature either, leaving Maresca with limited options. In the previous match, Moisés Caicedo briefly filled in at right-back when Gusto was withdrawn. However, with Lavia unavailable, it's unlikely that Caicedo will begin the fixture in defense on Saturday. Axel Disasi could start at right-back, as he did in both legs of the Conference League play-off against Servette.

Another concern will be the fitness of South American duo Caicedo and Enzo Fernández, who both face fatigue after long international trips. Maresca may have to consider alternatives such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Carney Chukwuemeka, Renato Veiga, or Cesare Casadei to rotate his midfield.

Additionally, Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana are available. Even though they withdrew from international duty as a precaution, they are expected to be fit and should be in contention to start.

2. The trio Behind the Nicolas Jackson

If Maresca sticks to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, he has several options for the three attacking midfield positions. With Palmer declared fit, Chelsea will have a full complement of players available to fill those spots.

Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, and Mykhailo Mudryk were all away on international duty, and it will be interesting to see if Maresca considers their recent workloads in his selection. He may opt for players who have spent the last two weeks training at Cobham instead, making competition for places fierce just after the break.

3. The Bournemouth Challenge

Bournemouth is one of seven unbeaten Premier League teams heading into game week four. They opened the season with draws against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle before staging a dramatic late comeback to secure a win against Everton. Andoni Iraola’s side will be brimming with confidence after that performance, and they’ll fancy their chances against a Chelsea team still searching for consistency. Last season's fixture at Bournemouth ended in a goalless draw. However, Chelsea secured a victory in the return match at Stamford Bridge on the final day of the campaign.