Chelsea will have Cole Palmer back and available when they host Arsenal in a huge Premier League showdown this afternoon.
A persistent groin problem has derailed the England international’s season so far, starting just three games in all competitions.
A fractured toe suffered after stubbing it off a door at home shelved plans for him to return last week against Burnley with Maresca initially suggesting his talisman would be unavailable this weekend.
Palmer was spotted back in training this week however with hope a specially designed boot can speed up his recovery.
Maresca confirmed the good news on Friday, telling reporters Palmer could even come into his starting XI.
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Estevao meanwhile enjoyed a memorable night midweek against Barcelona but there was slight concern when he required treatment in the 83rd minute before being replaced.
There was no mention of any injury when Maresca spoke to the press on Friday with the Brazil international hoping to keep his place in the starting XI.
Arsenal secured another statement-making victory midweek against Bayern Munich in another game Viktor Gyokeres missed.
The Sweden international has now missed the last four games with a hamstring injury suffered at the start of the month against Burnley. Arteta has given little away over the severity of the issue but suggested on Friday the Chelsea game will come too soon for his summer signing.
The same applies to Kai Havertz who has not featured since the opening weekend of the season.
Leandro Trossard was forced off in the first-half on Wednesday night but scans revealed only a minor injury with the Belgian in contention today.
The availability of Gabriel Martinelli, who scored eight minutes after coming off the bench, offers an alternative option however with another midweek goal scorer in Noni Madueke also back in the picture.
Martin Odegaard was another to make his return from injury against Bayern with Arsenal’s injury situation now looking considerably brighter. Gabriel Magalhaes however remains absent with the centre-half not expected back until late December at the earliest.
Chelsea XI vs Arsenal – Metro prediction
Maresca rotated his attack to perfection on Tuesday having utilised Pedro Neto as his most advanced forward. A more orthodox option up front in Liam Delap with Palmer back in the side could be their best bet in breaking down Arsenal’s mean defence.
Arsenal XI vs Chelsea – Metro prediction
If Gyokeres is not deemed fit to start, Mikel Merino will have the chance to lead the line again as he has done so effectively in recent weeks.
After coming off the bench against Bayern, Odegaard will hope to return to the starting XI to skipper the side in west London.
Who do you think will win?
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Chelsea
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Arsenal
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Draw
Key battle: Moises Caicedo vs Declan Rice
The two best midfielders in the league have been the beating heart of their respective teams this season. Both have stepped up another level – the presence of Martin Zubimendi has allowed Rice to immerse himself in a more box-to-box role while Caicedo has taken to setting the tempo for Chelsea, developing into a metronomic presence in the middle of the park.
Whoever has the better game could lead their side to victory.
Chelsea vs Arsenal kick-off time and live stream
Chelsea vs Arsenal takes place today (Sunday 30 November) with kick-off scheduled for 4:30pm.
You can watch the match live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event with streaming also available through the Sky Go app and NOW TV for subscribers.
You can also follow all the action with Metro’s LIVE match day blog.