Ghana stars Christian Atsu and Baba Rahman are expected to return to action for their clubs for the third round of the English League Cup matches scheduled to be played on Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Atsu, who is on a season-long loan to Bournemouth, gets a chance to win over the club's manager Eddie Howe, against Championship side Preston North End tonight.

The 23-year-old winger has only played one game for the club and it came in the last round of the League Cup almost a month a ago. On that occasion he set up a goal in a 4-0 thumping of lower league side Hartlepool United.

Also likely to get a run out in the Bournemouth side is South Africa striker Rantie Tokelo, who like Atsu has only managed an appearance in the game against Hartlepool.

Bournemouth's assistant manager Jason Tindall says Howe will be fielding fringe players against Preston and looking out for players willing to make the step up.

"It gives the players who aren't playing at the moment something to look forward to," Tindall told the club's website. "It's an opportunity to play, do well and put thoughts in the manager's head. We saw that last year when some of the lads put in excellent performances and they were duly rewarded."

Meanwhile defender Rahman is expected to return to the Chelsea line-up after making his debut in a 4-0 thrashing of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv in the UEFA Champions League last week.

Despite putting in a decent shift, the 21-year-old was deemed unprepared for the Premier League by Blues boss Jose Mourinho and missed the club's weekend win over Arsenal.

He is however set to get some game time on Wednesday when Chelsea travel to League One side Walsall.

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