Chelsea have nine players set for extra training time with Enzo Maresca

Here we are, then; the final international break of the calendar year. Phew.

Going into the latest two-week break, Chelsea are in third in the Premier League table after finishing the final match of the weekend with a 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal. Enzo Maresca, while he still waits for his first win as head coach against the so-called 'big six' sides, was overall a happy customer after seeing his team compete with the Gunners.

Speaking after the match at Stamford Bridge, Maresca said: "I think the performance was good. We played in the way want to play on and off the ball. The game in some moments was open - anything can happen in both sides but for sure, 100%, we deserved a point and this is important."

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Chelsea's next Premier League fixtures comes in just under two weeks' time as they travel to Maresca's former club Leicester City in the early kick-off on Saturday afternoon. Before that, the Italian coach will be hopeful those on international duty with their respective countries manage to keep themselves fit and return in prime condition for what will be a hectic period of fixtures in the run-up to Christmas.

Those staying behind are the likes of Marcus Bettinelli, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Reece James, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Carney Chukwuemeka and Jadon Sancho. As well as that, Maresca will call on some of the academy stars to train with the first-team squad as he looks to build up numbers for his sessions.

However, the majority of Maresca's first-team squad are on international duty around the world. That includes Cole Palmer, who was selected by England despite feeling some pain on his knee following a horror challenge from Lisandro Martinez earlier this month.

Palmer did play the full 90 minutes for Chelsea as they drew with Arsenal but was spotted limping out of Stamford Bridge after the game. Maresca was asked about how his star player was and replied: "Yeah, he is painful now but it does not look like something important."

On Palmer's display, Maresca added: "I don't think we took any risks. For sure, he was a doubt until the end. His performances have been very good.

"In the first 10 minutes, we contact with him, from [Levi] Colwill to him, three or four times. Then they adjust and [Thomas] Partey was marking him man-to-man so it was difficult for Cole in that case. But overall, very happy with Cole's performance."