Chelsea will look completely different after international break with Maresca close to dream XI

Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian embrace (Image: Visionhaus)

Chelsea's win against Liverpool on Saturday will live long in the memory of supporters for many reasons. A last minute winner, beating the reigning champions and also doing so with adversity threatening to derail the Blues .

Going into the match at Stamford Bridge, Enzo Maresca had just three fit senior centre-backs to choose from. Josh Acheampong , who is barely senior, and Benoit Badiashile started alongside each other at the heart of the Chelsea defence and they were both mightily impressive against the Reds.

However, in the second-half, both Acheampong and Badiashile limped off the pitch, with the hosts finishing the game with Reece James and Jorrel Hato as the two central defenders. Thankfully, assistant coach Willy Caballero said after the game that bringing the two defenders off was more precautionary than anything else and was hopeful the two injuries were nothing too serious.

Chelsea will be hoping to have both Acheampong and Badiashile fit for when they return to action after the ongoing international break. A trip to Nottingham Forest awaits the Blues on October 18, with Maresca hoping to have a host of players returning from injuries at the City Ground.

Wesley Fofana is set to return to the squad as he has now recovered from concussion. As per the FA's concussion protocol, the Frenchman was required to sit out of the action for 12 days after he suffered the problem - which was in the Carabao Cup third round victory over Lincoln City on September 23.

Tosin Adarabioyo has missed the last three matches due to a calf problem but Maresca sounded hopeful recently when speaking about the centre-back returning once the international break is out of the way. Likewise with Andrey Santos , who was forced to sit out of the wins against Benfica and Liverpool with a muscular problem.

Chelsea took the tough decision to rest Cole Palmer , who has been struggling with a groin injury at the start of the season, for the four games before the international break, with the hope that the 23-year-old will be in much better condition by the time club football returns. There still might be some precaution took with Palmer, but Maresca will be desperate for his star attacker to be available sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Liam Delap is still out with a hamstring issue, Dario Essugo remains absent with a thigh problem and Levi Colwill remains a long way away from returning after he injured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the first training session of pre-season.

Even with those three players out for a little while longer, Maresca should - and touch wood there are no injuries picked up over the international break - have something closer to his dream XI when his players return to Cobham later in the month. For the trip to Forest, Maresca could, theoretically, choose something like this for his line-up:

Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Estevao Willian, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto; Joao Pedro.