Enzo Maresca will have several injury absentees for Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

Chelsea make the short trip across the capital on Saturday afternoon to Selhurst Park to face Oliver Glasner’s Eagles for their first game of 2025.

While Chelsea are looking to end their run of two consecutive defeats, the hosts will be keen to extend their unbeaten record to three matches. 15 points currently separate the two sides heading into Saturday’s fixture.

Chelsea will be hoping to put defeats to Fulham and Ipswich Town behind them to begin the New Year on a winning note to ensure they remain in the top four come the end of the weekend.

They have had their fair share of fitness problems this season and Maresca will be without several of his players for the London derby.

Here is the latest Chelsea team news ahead of the league meeting against Crystal Palace in the capital.

Reece James

The Chelsea captain returned to the matchday squad against Ipswich Town, however was an unused substitute at Portman Road on Monday night. Maresca is ready to bring the 25-year-old back into the side after overcoming a hamstring problem.

“He’s back, the last game against Ipswich he was with us just to be with us on the squad; the plan was not to give him any minutes. (Crystal Palace) is different, we can give him minutes, so hopefully we all know how important this game is for us, so hopefully he can get minutes very soon.”

Benoit Badiashile

The 23-year-old has been sidelined since the middle of December due to an injury sustained in training. Badiashile won’t be available for the remainder of January, with Maresca confirming the Frenchman will be out until at least February.

As things stand, Badiashile won’t require surgery and Maresca will hope that will continue to be the case.

Wesley Fofana

It’s bad news for Chelsea regarding Fofana. Maresca will be without the France international for potentially the remainder of the season after the severity of his hamstring injury was worse than initially feared.

“Unfortunately he could be out for the season, so we don’t know exactly for the entire season, but unfortunately he could be out for part of the season,” confirmed Maresca on Friday.

“It’s hamstring and unfortunately we are going to lose him for a while.” 

On Fofana’s regular injury setbacks, Maresca added: “I don’t think this kind of injury can be compared to the rest, because this one is muscle and I think that previously he never had any injury problem, any muscle problem.

“So it’s a completely different kind of injury. It’s a bit unlucky, but he will be back and he will be back good in the way he was before he was injured.”

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Maresca confirmed the midfielder remains sidelined with an injury. The 26-year-old has only featured five times for Chelsea in the league this season, with Dewsbury-Hall being absent from the last three league matchday squads.

Romeo Lavia

He won’t be available for the London derby on Saturday, Maresca has confirmed.

“Romeo is very close, he has started to work with us,” said Maresca, which indicates the Belgian could return and feature against Morecambe in the FA Cup third round next week.