West Ham lineup vs. Chelsea: Predicted XI for Premier League clash

Chelsea could welcome as many as four players back into the first-team fold for Saturday's Premier League clash against West Ham United at the London Stadium.

Reece James remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Romeo Lavia (hamstring), Malo Gusto (thigh), Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (both illness) were all absent from Chelsea's 1-0 win at Bournemouth last weekend.

However, Lavia, Gusto, Fernandez and Dewsbury-Hall have all since taken part in first-team training this week and are in contention to return to Enzo Maresca's matchday squad on Saturday.

Should Gusto be deemed fit to start, he would presumably replace Axel Disasi at right-back, joining Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella in a four-man defence.

Renato Veiga operated as a defensive midfielder alongside Moises Caicedo in the win at Bournemouth, but the former is expected to be replaced by Fernandez, while Dewsbury-Hall provides cover as a substitute.

Jadon Sancho put in a man-of-the-match display on his debut as a substitute against Bournemouth and the winger could be rewarded with his first Chelsea start at the expense of either Pedro Neto or Noni Madueke.

Christopher Nkunku will also be pushing to start after coming off the bench to score the match-winner last weekend, but he may struggle to displace chief creator Cole Palmer in the number 10 role, while Nicolas Jackson is expected to continue as the central striker.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson

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