Between Chelsea and Bournemouth, there could be a number of key players that miss out on Tuesday night's crunch Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.

For the Blues, the return to English top-flight action is a significant one. Prior to the festive period, they were touted as main challengers to current league leaders Liverpool, though a run of four winless matches has left them 10 points behind having played an extra match.

Enzo Maresca watched his team comfortably eliminate Morecambe of League Two from the FA Cup over the weekend - now he needs to see that same attacking verve translate back over to the main task at hand.

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The boss is set to have a few of his stars return to league action, too. "He is back. He is back and training with us, so he is 100% fit," was the response to a question about Noni Madueke at his Monday press conference.

The winger had been suffering from illness recently but is expected to be involved again alongside Reece James and Romeo Lavia, who both got 45 minutes under their belts at the weekend.

Aside from that, it is a bleak picture for Chelsea with SEVEN possible absentees.

Through injury there are three missing: Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The former has suffered a fresh setback with a hamstring injury, painfully as he has experienced so much trouble beforehand.

Badiashile was confirmed to be out for a long period when he missed December's clash with Brentford, whilst Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has not featured since before Christmas either.

Currently provisionally suspended by the FA is Mykhailo Mudryk, so he definitely will not be playing. The Ukrainian was allegedly discovered to have taken a banned substance.

"Chelsea Football Club can confirm the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test," the club statement began.

"Both the club and Mykhailo fully support the FA’s testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested. Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding."

And Maresca also confirmed recently that both Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka were both away from selection as they explore January exits from the club.

Although the boss was adamant that Renato Veiga is one of his players at his pre-Bournemouth press conference, there is the slight possibility that if any major advancements were to unfold across the next 24 hours, he would also be out of contention.

Maresca shut down rumours that the player had struck an agreement with Borussia Dortmund.

"At the moment, I am not aware that there is an agreement for Renato. The only thing I can say is that yesterday he was here working with us, today he will be here with us. At the moment, he is our player. We will see if something happens but he was working yesterday and will work today. I am not aware of any agreement for him," he told the press.

And as for Chelsea's opponents, it is not good news. Only one positive at the Vitality Stadium is the possibility of Ryan Christie returning after suffering a virus, as ten players could not make it to Stamford Bridge.

Two major blows have hit Andoni Iraola in recent days with strikers Evanilson and Enes Unal experiencing devastating injuries. The former has broken his foot, while the latter tore his ACL in training.

Their manager has confirmed his intention to sign a new goalscorer, though that won't be in time for Tuesday.

Being monitored and closest to a return is full-back Adam Smith, though his muscle problem picked up at the end of last month is touch and go.

After that, a swathe of hamstring injuries have impacted the visiting team's squad. The trio of Luis Sinisterra, Julian Araujo and Marcos Senesi have all been absent since November at the very latest, with no sign of coming back.

Other injuries include a meniscus tear for midfielder Alex Scott and James Tavernier is still out with a thigh issue.

Iraola definitely won't be able to call upon full-back Max Aarons, as he was confirmed on Monday to have completed a loan transfer to La Liga side Valencia.

And lastly, of importance to Chelsea is Kepa Arrizabalaga. As was the case in September's reverse fixture the goalkeeper is on loan from the Blues; therefore, he is ineligible to face his parent club.