West London will witness another heated derby this Saturday lunchtime as Chelsea welcome Fulham to Stamford Bridge in gameweek three of the Premier League 2025-26 season.

The Blues come into the clash buoyed by a resounding 5-1 victory over West Ham, but manager Enzo Maresca faces fresh selection headaches with the latest Chelsea injury and suspension concerns.

Chelsea injury list before facing Fulham

The most notable setback for the Blues is Levi Colwill, who suffered a devastating ACL injury and is expected to miss the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign.

Defensive depth remains a worry, with Benoît Badiashile also sidelined due to an unspecified knock, leaving Maresca short of natural centre-back options.

In midfield, summer signing Romeo Lavia has been ruled out with an undisclosed issue, while academy talent Omari Kellyman is recovering from a thigh injury.

Both are unlikely to feature until later in the autumn.

Adding to the Chelsea injury woes, creative linchpin Cole Palmer is nursing a groin problem and will be unavailable for Saturday’s derby.

Suspensions affecting Chelsea’s lineup

Alongside the lengthy injury list, the Blues must also cope with suspension.

Winger Mykhaylo Mudryk is banned following his dismissal against West Ham, robbing Chelsea of one of their most dangerous outlets in attack.

For Fulham, manager Marco Silva will be relatively relieved with a clean bill of health.

Only Harry Wilson remains a slight doubt due to a foot concern, meaning the visitors arrive at Stamford Bridge almost at full strength.

How the Chelsea injury situation shapes Maresca’s plans

The combination of injuries and suspension forces Enzo Maresca into reshuffling his setup once again.

With Colwill and Badiashile absent, Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah are expected to form the heart of the defense, supported by full-backs Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella.

Midfield control will fall on the experienced duo Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández, while the frontline could feature teenage sensation Estevão, joined by João Pedro, Pedro Neto, and striker Liam Delap.

The absence of Palmer and Mudryk reduces Chelsea’s creativity and width, placing greater emphasis on the young Brazilian Estevão to deliver in a high-pressure derby.

How Maresca adapts to these Chelsea injury challenges will be key to sustaining the team’s early momentum in the league.