Chelsea lineup vs. Astana: Predicted XI for Conference League clash

Chelsea will be without a plethora of first-team players for Thursday's Conference League clash away against Astana in Kazakhstan.

Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Ben Chilwell and Marcus Bettinelli are all ineligible having not been selected in Chelsea's Conference League squad; the former two are sidelined with injuries anyway and are joined in the treatment room by Reece James (hamstring).

Cesare Casadei will also miss Thursday's game due to suspension after being sent off in the Blues' 2-0 win at Heidenheim last time out, while Robert Sanchez, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Noni Madueke, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Jadon Sancho, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix have all been left at home to rest.

After watching his senior side beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 in the Premier League last weekend, Enzo Maresca will ring the changes against Astana after calling up a number of youngsters to his senior Conference League squad.

Eighteen-year-old winger Tyrique George and 19-year-old midfielder Samuel Rak-Sakyi have already been used in the Conference League this term, the former started in a thumping 8-0 win over FC Noah last month and will hope to force his way back into the first XI on Thursday.

Filip Jorgensen is set to replace Sanchez in goal, while Maresca could also recall defensive trio Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo and Renato Veiga, as well as midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka.

Pedro Neto will miss Chelsea's next Premier League game against Brentford this weekend due to suspension, so the winger could be given a run-out on Thursday, while Marc Guiu is poised to start up front.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Jorgensen; Acheampong, Disasi, Tosin, Veiga; Rak-Sakyi, Dewsbury-Hall; George, Chukwuemeka, Neto; Guiu