Enzo Maresca looking to overcome what Jurgen Klopp hated in Chelsea's trip to Leicester City

Chelsea are about to do the thing no manager wants. Play at 12:30pm following an international break.

With the players returning this week, at different times depending on their country's fixtures, times and locations, the Blues do not have much time at all to prepare for their trip to Leicester City on Saturday afternoon. Enzo Maresca will be with a large group at Cobham but not all of his players have returned yet.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, who were both on international duty in South America where they played in the early hours of Wednesday morning, are set to return today (Thursday). Whether or not they are ready to take part in any proper sessions today is another question.

That is the issue quite a lot of Premier League managers have had in recent times. With television broadcasters needing slots for matches to be played, 12:30pm (UK time) on a Saturday is usually the first game of the weekend. Jurgen Klopp famously hated the early kick-off time when he was Liverpool manager.

Chelsea, though, have quite a strong record when it comes to playing in the early slot following a two-week international break. In fact, in the last five times this has happened, the Blues have been victorious on three of the occasions. Ironically, two of those three wins have come against Leicester.

The last time this situation occurred was in November 2021, almost three years to this very day, where Chelsea won 3-0 at the King Power Stadium in a comfortable victory. Antonio Rudiger opened the scoring in Leicester before goals from N'Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic ensured all three points for the visitors.

Before that, Chelsea recorded a 2-0 victory against Newcastle United on Tyneside. An own goal from Federico Fernandez was later added to by Tammy Abraham at St. James' Park.

The Blues' only defeat in their last five 12:30s after an international break was the 5-2 loss against West Bromwich Albion in April 2021. Despite Pulisic putting the hosts ahead at Stamford Bridge, Thiago Silva was sent off - allowing the Baggies a route back into the game.

Two goals from Matheus Pereira, a double from Callum Robinson and one from Mbaye Diagne ensured a famous win for West Brom. That rendered Mason Mount's second-half goal as nothing but a consolation.

About two-and-a-half years before that, Chelsea drew with Manchester United thanks to a late equaliser from Ross Barkley at Stamford Bridge. A brace from Anthony Martial had given United a 2-1 lead in the second-half after Rudiger opened the scoring in SW6.

The other Leicester win was in October 2016 at Stamford Bridge. A comfortable victory in the Blues' last Premier League title-winning season. Diego Costa got things going before Eden Hazard and Victor Moses made it 3-0 to the west Londoners under Antonio Conte.

Oh, how Maresca would love something a bit like that on Saturday, eh?