How Chelsea could line up against Crystal Palace

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to make numerous changes for Chelsea's Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.

Three of them will be enforced with Lesley Ugochukwu, Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling each coming out of the Christmas Eve defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers with issues.

Ugochukwu, who was returning from a muscle injury, appears set for a lengthy absence with a hamstring problem, while Palmer and Sterling each collected their fifth yellow cards and will now serve a one-game ban.

Moises Caicedo is more likely to return from illness than Enzo Fernandez is from a hernia, so the Ecuador international should start in place of Ugochukwu.

Meanwhile, Noni Madueke - who has started just one Premier League game all season - and Mykhaylo Mudryk appear likely to get the nod in the final third for the missing Palmer and Sterling.

While Christopher Nkunku has successfully come through two substitute appearances, Pochettino is not expected to promote him to the starting lineup at this stage of his recovery from a knee injury.

The same applies to Romeo Lavia after his first appearance on the substitutes' bench at the weekend after ankle ligament damage, with the likelihood being that Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja will retain their spots in the team instead.

Ian Maatsen is an option at right-back, with Pochettino perhaps wary of handing too much game time to Malo Gusto, while Benoit Badiashile will hope for an appearance in central defence.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Gallagher; Madueke, Jackson, Mudryk; Broja