Bolton defender Gretar Steinsson has a knee injury and Chung-Yong Lee is on international duty, so Sam Ricketts and Martin Petrov could be recalled.
Tamir Cohen remains in Israel to be with his father, who is in critical condition following a motorcyle crash.
MATCH PREVIEW
Following Monday's devastating loss to title rivals Arsenal that increased Chelsea's winless run to a staggering six matches, manager Carlo Ancelotti accused his players of "sleeping". The Blues need to wake up fast as their dreams of retaining the Premier League title are rapidly turning into a nightmare.
We have to wake up - until now we are sleeping... Maybe I have to be the first to wake up, I'm worried, obviously, because that's six games we've not been able to win
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti
If Tottenham beat Newcastle, and then the unthinkable happens and Bolton win at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will drop down to the unchartered territory of sixth - their lowest position going into a New Year since the 2001/02 season.
Ancelotti is one of only two managers to have survived an entire season in charge of Chelsea since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003. The Russian is not known for his loyalty and will have no hesitation in ending on Ancelotti's tenure if he sees his club get caught up in an unseemly scramble for fourth.
In contrast, Owen Coyle's Bolton side continue to go from strength to strength. An injury crisis, though, threatens to derail their unlikely bid for a Champions League spot and they struggled to fill their bench with fit players for the Boxing Day win over West Brom.
They also have a dismal recent run of results against Chelsea, having failed to beat them since 2003, but the ever-positive Coyle will see this as a real chance to catch the Blues napping.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 13 league matches against Bolton (W10, D3), winning the last four.
• Bolton's last victory against Chelsea was also their only Premier League victory at Stamford Bridge - a 2-1 win in December 2003 when John Terry scored a 90th-minute own goal.
Have your say on this match
Chelsea
• This is Chelsea's worst run of form (six points from eight games) since December 1999, when they had picked up only five points in eight games.
• Chelsea have dropped five points at home in the league this season, which is as many as they did in the whole of last season.
• Nicolas Anelka scored 21 goals in 53 Premier League matches for Bolton from 2006 to 2008.
• Anelka has scored four goals in his last six league matches against Bolton, Frank Lampard has scored eight goals against the Trotters, and Didier Drogba has four goals in the last four meetings between the sides.
Bolton
• Bolton have not won any of their last 24 league matches against 'Big Four' opposition (D2, L22) since they beat Manchester United 1-0 in November 2007.
• The club have won three, drawn seven and lost 16 of their last 26 league matches in London - all three victories have come at West Ham.
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Chelsea (L1-3 v Arsenal, a): Cech, Ferreira (Bosingwa 61), Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Mikel (Ramires 46), Lampard, Kalou, Drogba, Malouda (Kakuta 56). Subs not used: Turnbull, Van Aanholt, Bruma, McEachran.
Bolton (W2-0 v West Brom, h): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson (Ricketts 64), Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee (Klasnic 80), Muamba (M Davies 76), Holden, Taylor, Elmander, K Davies. Subs not used: Bogdan, Petrov, Moreno, Blake.
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport