Chelsea v Cardiff: Doubts over four Chelsea players, Bluebirds star could miss out

© Mike Egerton/PA Wire

Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas could be asked to train rather than sit on the bench for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Cardiff.

The playmaker is fit again following a knee injury, but may not be considered by boss Maurizio Sarri just yet.

England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a doubt with a shin injury, although he has featured sparingly for Chelsea this season, while Emerson Palmieri and Davide Zappacosta (both illness) are doubts.

Provisional squad: Kepa, Caballero, Rudiger, Alonso, Fabregas, Jorginho, Drinkwater, Kante, Barkley, Hazard, Pedro, Moses, Kovacic, Giroud, Zappacosta, Willian, Cahill, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Morata, Luiz, Emerson Palmieri, Ampadu, Loftus-Cheek, Hudson-Odoi.

Josh Murphy will be assessed before Cardiff’s side is named.

Murphy, the £11million summer recruit from Norwich, has been troubled by a slight hamstring over the last fortnight, and faces a late fitness test with manager Neil Warnock again expected to link Bobby Reid and Danny Ward in attack.

Aron Gunnarsson is still nursing a knee problem after missing international duty with Iceland and is unlikely to be risked.

Provisional squad: Etheridge, Smithies, Peltier, Richards, Cunningham, Morrison, Bamba, Connolly, Manga, Bennett, Arter, Damour, Ralls, Camarasa, Paterson, Hoilett, Murphy, Reid, Zohore, Ward, Madine.