How Chelsea could line up against Crystal Palace

Chelsea will be without Mason Mount when they return to domestic action against Crystal Palace on Saturday following their Club World Cup triumph.

The Blues beat Palmeiras in the final in Abu Dhabi last weekend, although the victory came at a cost as Mount limped off with an ankle ligament injury which leaves him as a doubt for the EFL Cup final later this month.

The England international joins Ben Chilwell on the sidelines, with the left-back expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery, but there could be better news elsewhere on the injury front.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is now back in training after missing the Club World Cup through injury, while Reece James, who travelled with the squad to Abu Dhabi but did not feature, is also closing in on a return.

Saturday's short trip to Selhurst Park could come too soon for the full-back as he continues to recover from a hamstring issue, but he should be back in the near future even if he does not make Saturday's squad.

It is not long before Chelsea turn their attention to yet another competition either, with a Champions League last-16 first leg against Lille looming on Tuesday, and that could come into Thomas Tuchel's thinking for this match.

A desire to keep some of his main men fresh for that match could see one or two fringe players make the cut, and the stats suggest that Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic may provide productive replacements.

Ziyech has scored in his last two Premier League games for the Blues, while Pulisic has scored more goals against Palace than he has against any other Premier League side - five in five meetings.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Mendy; Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso; Ziyech, Lukaku, Pulisic