Chelsea massive double injury boost may force Enzo Maresca's hand after Marc Cucurella red card

Chelsea are set to welcome back both Romeo Lavia and Joao Felix for the weekend as the Blues go to Everton in a crucial Premier League clash.

Both players missed Sunday evening's win against Brentford with Felix's problem being unknown at this stage. Lavia, meanwhile, was absent for the win against the Bees after sustaining a minor knock to his hamstring in the win away at Tottenham seven days prior.

"We had Joao and Romeo [missing] that can probably be available for the next one," head coach Enzo Maresca said after the win versus Brentford. "Carney [Chukwuemeka] after Astana was ill, Chilly [Ben Chilwell] was ill.

"Pedro [Neto] was suspended. Then we have Reece [James] and Wes [Fofana] injured. Unfortunately, yesterday after the session, Benoit [Badiashile] felt something. This is the situation. And Misha [Mudryk is ill]."

Lavia's return in particular will be timely following Marc Cucurella's red card in the aftermath of the win against Brentford. Cucurella was shown his second yellow card after the full-time whistle for shoving Kevin Schade, having been cautioned in stoppage time for a challenge on Fabio Carvalho.

The Spain international will serve a one-match suspension at Everton on Sunday afternoon, meaning Maresca will have to change things for the trip to Merseyside. One option for Maresca could be moving Malo Gusto to the left side, rather than the right, where he is natural in playing.

It is something Maresca did on his last visit to Merseyside, in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, with Reece James, who is now injured, playing on the right that day. With Lavia set to return, he could move into midfield alongside Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo could be used at right-back.

Caicedo started on the right-hand side of a back-four in wins against Aston Villa and Tottenham. When his side are in possession of the ball, Caicedo would then drift into the centre and play alongside Lavia, with Fernandez pushing forward in a box-to-box No.8 role for the Blues.

"We try to change the plan," Maresca said earlier this month when asked about Caicedo being used as a full-back. "It depends on what the other team do on and off the ball while maintaining our principles, no matter. If it's Carabao Cup, the Conference League or the Premier League.

"We change players and structure, but in the end, the identity has been there. When we move players like against Aston Villa, we think for that game it's a good option and until now it's happened many times and hopefully it happens again in the future.

"One thing I can say is since we started, Malo Gusto, who was playing inside from right-back, was probably the first one who helped us a lot in terms of that process because he gives us that option, because Romeo was injured and Moi was playing in a different position. But we always thought Moi in that position, inside like against Aston Villa, could be a fantastic option for us."

There is of course the option to replace the suspended Cucurella in a more direct way with Renato Veiga. The 21-year-old Portugal international has made 16 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions this season but less than half of those have come in the Premier League.