Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed in the pre-match press conference that midfield maestro Cole Palmer is ready to start and is expected to make his first start in the Premier League match against Bournemouth.

Palmer returned to the game as a substitute this week against Leeds United and put on a brilliant performance in 30 minutes, coming close to scoring several times, which is a positive sign of his return to form. This appearance will be Palmer's first start since September.

Although Maresca is unsure whether Palmer has the stamina to play the full 90 minutes, he remains confident in his readiness to start. Maresca stated, "I don't know if he can play the full 90 minutes, but Cole is ready to come on from the start."

Besides Palmer, captain Reece James is also expected to return to the squad. He was a substitute who did not play in the match against Leeds United. Maresca revealed that he hopes to gradually increase James' playing time, but emphasized the need for careful management to ensure the right-back remains healthy and available for matches.

Although defensive linchpin Wesley Fofana delivered a stellar performance against Arsenal, he did not travel with the team to Leeds this week as he is still recovering from injury. Maresca said, "At present, Fofana can only manage one game a week."

"Hopefully he can play two games in the coming week, but I think it's too early now. We don't want him to be out for another four to six months due to overload."

Chelsea's injury list still includes Levi Colwell and Romeo Lavia. Maresca revealed that he is in regular contact with both players and is monitoring their recovery progress.

With Palmer's return and James' gradual recovery, Chelsea have received a boost before entering a congested schedule. However, how to improve their strength while ensuring player health will be a key challenge for Maresca in the coming weeks.