The Premier League is back at Stamford Bridge for a 2pm GMT Sunday kick-off against Leicester as we try to take a step closer to Champions League qualification.

Enzo Maresca hosts the club he made the most promoted in English top-flight history last season (13 occasions). Both sides were not involved in the FA Cup at the weekend and the visitors have had more than a week to rest and prepare for this game.

Chelsea took a break from our nine-league game tour of the capital on Thursday to claim a 2-1 Round of 16 first leg lead at Copenhagen in the Conference League – our first away win since Astana in December.

Now, having beaten Wolves, West Ham and Southampton in consecutive outings at the Bridge, the Blues have the chance to record four home league wins in a row for the first time this season.

Leicester, who we beat 2-1 in the reverse fixture back in November, are the fourth club to come to the Bridge having changed their coach since our last meeting. So far, City’s man Ruud van Nistelrooy has suffered eleven defeats in twelve games – including each of the last four – and they have lost every clash with a current top six side.

The Foxes’ away record and overall goal difference are second-worst in the top flight after Southampton and they are effectively six points from safety as a result.

Chelsea have scored two or more goals in each of their last four league outings at the Bridge and won five of their past six home and away against the East Midlanders.

Team news

Malo Gusto came off injured against Copenhagen and is a doubt for the match with Leicester City.

Speaking immediately after the 2-1 win, Maresca said: ‘He’s ok, he’s better. They just said to me he could possibly be available for Sunday’s game, so hopefully we will have him for Sunday.’

Maresca has confirmed defenders Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are both available and provided updates on a number of other players.

‘Wes is training with us and he has been for more than 10 days now, so he is back and can be involved,’ Maresca stated.

‘Benoit is back as well, and Romeo [Lavia] has also started to work with us. This is good news but we have to be patient with him, because he is still quite far away from being 100 per cent fit and ready.

‘But he is starting to work with us again and this is good news. The rest are the same as before, there is no update on those players – Nicolas [Jackson], Noni [Madueke], Marc [Guiu] and Aaron [Anselmino] - they are all out still.'

Chelsea vs Leicester – the history

The last time Leicester were at Stamford Bridge in the league was a 2-1 in August 2022 – Chelsea’s third win in this fixture since 2016. Goals for Raheem Sterling either side of the break established a 2-0 lead before Harvey Barnes pulled one back for former Blues youth coach Brendan Rodgers’ side.

The Blues have only been outwitted twice by the Foxes at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League era – an unwanted 1-0 pre-Christmas present in 2018 and a 2-0 in September 2000, including a Muzzy Izzet goal on his return.

Neither hurt as much as the Steve Guppy-induced 2-2 draw in April 1999 though, that effectively killed the Londoners’ title chances.

The Foxes’ favourite Bridge memory is probably a match they weren’t playing in – the Hazard-inspired 2-2 comeback against Tottenham in 2016 that secured the league title for Leicester and former Blues boss Claudio Ranieri.

The Londoners’ heftiest victory came in a midday kick-off on 8 October 1994 under Glenn Hoddle. John Spencer struck inside a minute and Gavin Peacock doubled the lead within five.

Diminutive Scottish striker Spencer found the net again soon after the interval – his fifth of the campaign – and his replacement, 19-year-old Neil Shipperley, hit his penultimate goal for the Blues with a quarter of an hour to go.

Know this…

Chelsea have scored in each of the past 12 home league matches.

Following his third strike of the season against Southampton from his fourth accurate attempt, Marc Cucurella shares the top flight’s best goals-per-shot-on-target record of 0.75 with teammate Trevoh Chalobah and ex-Blue Ross Barkley.

Having accumulated nine cautions so far, Moises Caicedo is one Premier League booking away from a two-game suspension.

With Brentford’s 4-0 win at the King Power last month, Leicester became the first English league side ever to lose six home games in a row without scoring.

As things stand, last season’s three promoted clubs could go straight back to the Championship for the second campaign running. Before last season that had not happened since 1997/98.

At 17 years and 137 days Shim Mheuka became Chelsea’s youngest ever starter in Europe at Copenhagen, undercutting Joel Kitamirike (17 years 196 days), who played in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup tie at Hapoel Tel Aviv.