Chelsea’s Spanish head coach is set to welcome back one of his key attacking talents for the encounter with the Yorkshire club at the west London venue.
The league leaders’ fourth top-flight fixture of the campaign sees them host a promoted side that has made an impressive start to life back among the elite.
The visitors secured automatic promotion from the Championship during the previous term and have adapted swiftly to the increased standard of competition.
After three matches, the club finds itself in the upper reaches of the table with seven points, maintaining an unblemished defensive record having prevented every opponent from finding the net.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have demonstrated their potency in front of goal throughout the opening exchanges of the season.
The capital outfit entered the contest determined to breach the well-organised rearguard that the opposition were anticipated to deploy, with a five-man defensive unit expected to be their primary tactical approach.
The manager addressed media representatives on Friday, acknowledging the scale of the task ahead.
He emphasised that neither he nor his squad would display any sense of overconfidence despite their encouraging start to the season.
Several players remained unavailable through injury, including the Ecuadorian midfielder and three other squad members.
The selection in goal was straightforward, with the Argentine World Cup winner set to reclaim his position between the posts.
The young defender who featured in the midweek cup triumph would drop to the substitutes’ bench, having played the full duration of that high-scoring encounter.
The defensive line could adopt either a three or four-man configuration depending on how the contest developed.
One French international had become an integral component of the backline following his recent arrival, impressing during the early stages of his tenure.
Another defender, a product of the club’s academy system, had recovered from a minor issue sustained before the Arsenal fixture and was expected to maintain his starting role.
On the flanks, the Portuguese international who recently committed his future to the club could operate as a wing-back if a three-four-three shape was chosen.
The England international who captained the side would continue operating in a deeper position within the midfield, where options were limited due to the ongoing absentees.
One Argentine who completed ninety minutes in midweek may make way for the Belgian who had been absent from the matchday squad but was confirmed fit for selection.
One Dutch youngster had fallen out of favour after another player was preferred on the left side against Leeds, though a recall to the starting eleven was possible.
The attacking department featured the exceptional England international whose creative influence had been a hallmark of recent performances, displaying remarkable freedom in the final third.
His fellow Englishman, who arrived from a Midlands club and contributed four assists in the cup victory, had also begun the campaign in excellent form.
The Brazilian forward, named as the league’s player of the month for August, had contributed two goals and the same number of assists and would be seeking to add to that tally this afternoon.