Chelsea manager Graham Potter has been handed a pair of fresh concerns with Reece James and Kai Havertz ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.

James (thigh) and Havertz (illness) were both withdrawn from international duty midway through the break, and the duo form part of 11 separate fitness headaches for the depleted Blues.

Armando Broja, Cesar Azpilicueta, Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana and Thiago Silva are guaranteed to miss out, while doubts persist over all of Christian Pulisic, Edouard Mendy, Mason Mount and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

While Mendy is closing in on a return from a fractured finger, Kepa Arrizabalaga should continue in goal regardless, and Marc Cucurella could deputise for Fofana alongside Benoit Badiashile and Kalidou Koulibaly.

James is only thought to have pulled out from England duty as a precaution, and so he should be fit enough to bomb down the right here, as Ben Chilwell takes his place on the left.

N'Golo Kante is in line for his first Premier League minutes since August, but he will certainly not be selected from the off, as Mateo Kovacic and Enzo Fernandez resume their partnership.

Pulisic lasted just over an hour during a rare start against Everton before coming back from international duty with a heavy cold, so Mykhaylo Mudryk may now be considered for a start alongside Joao Felix and Havertz - assuming the latter recovers from the flu in time.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Kepa; Badiashile, Koulibaly, Cucurella; James, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell; Mudryk, Havertz, Felix body check tags ::