Chelsea FC vs Arsenal - Chelsea waiting on Reece James

Posted Monday, January 20, 2020 by PA

Chelsea will hand Reece James a late fitness test ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

The 20-year-old full-back suffered a knee problem in Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Newcastle, but has avoided any serious setback.

Fellow full-back Marcos Alonso is fit again after a thigh issue and will be in the squad.

Arsenal will once again be without suspended captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the short trip across London.

The striker will serve the second of a three-match ban for his sending-off at Crystal Palace, with head coach Mikel Arteta waiting to see if defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos recovers from illness in time to be involved.

Reiss Nelson (hamstring), Sead Kolasinac (thigh), Kieran Tierney (shoulder) and Calum Chambers (knee) are all definite absentees.

Provisional Chelsea squad: Arrizabalaga, Zouma, Christensen, Rudiger, Tomori, Emerson, James, Azpilicueta, Alonso, Lamptey, Kovacic, Jorginho, Willian, Kante, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi, Mount, Batshuayi, Caballero, Gilmour, Barkley, Pedro, Giroud.

Provisional Arsenal squad: Leno, Martinez, Bellerin, Papastathopoulos, Luiz, Mustafi, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Torreira, Xhaka, Willock, Ceballos, Saka, Pepe, Lacazette, Martinelli, Nketiah.