Chelsea will have a number of interesting line-up decisions to make this weekend after an intense international period, and there are likely to be a few changes from the team that beat Crystal Palace comfortable in the game before the break.
The man who we’ve all been waiting to see – summer signing Hakim Ziyech – is likely to make his first competitive appearance of the season, according to Simon Johnson writing in The Athletic.
Ziyech went to train with Morocco over this fortnight, and even made a sub appearance, but is otherwise fresh and fit after shaking off a knee problem.
It still sounds like he’s not guaranteed a start – a lot will depend on how players train once back at Cobham – but we will certainly see him as a substitute against Southampton.
That will bring a welcome injection of creativity and trickery against a solid back line, and will finally mean all our summer signings have got their Chelsea careers underway.
