Chelsea will pursue the League Cup with a radically altered line-up on the banks of the Thames this evening, though to denounce Jose Mourinho's selection as understrength would be to miss the point. For Fulham, rotation is unlikely to bring respite.
Such is the buoyancy at the Premiership leaders Mourinho and his squad enter tonight's quarter-final against their local rivals daring to contemplate a clean sweep of the three domestic competitions, to be supplemented potentially by the Champions League.
"We are in all four and our aim is to win them all," admitted Arjen Robben, encapsulating the mood at Stamford Bridge. That may smack of heady optimism but bold statements are backed up by irresistible form these days.
Not since the club's heyday in the early 1970s have Chelsea supporters thrilled to such scintillating football. The ominously stodgy defensive mind-set of the season's first two months built solid foundations upon which Mourinho's side have subsequently flourished.
They are unbeaten in 11 matches, having sauntered to a 4-1 win in the league at Fulham just over two weeks ago. They have a five-point advantage at the top of the Premiership to complement progress in Europe.
It is arguable whether British football has ever boasted a squad of such lavish depth and quality as that funded by Roman Abramovich and tweaked by Mourinho. "It's certainly the best squad we've ever had," said Peter Osgood, the former Chelsea striker. "At the beginning of the season I'd have said 'let's just win the league, please'. We needed a domestic title under our belts for the first time since 1955 - forget the cups - but the way they're going now, they're coasting on all fronts."
"They're up to every task," said Alan Hudson, the midfielder whose skills ignited Chelsea during the early 1970s. "They could win everything, especially with Arsenal on the wobble now. Those five points in the league won't be easy to claw back. The manager's the difference. People get worked up about Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson, but Mourinho's got them both on the run. The fella's cold-blooded, and you need that."
Fulham, meanwhile, limp into this evening's game on the back of three successive defeats and with manager Chris Coleman wary that Chelsea are capable of "running up a cricket score".
Regular reserves such as Scott Parker, Carlo Cudicini and Mateja Kezman are all expected to feature for the visitors.
"The lads have got to be aware that if we show fear, then they will rip us apart," said Coleman. "The last time we played them they were on fire and we ended up getting battered."
"The depth is simply frightening and they're so gifted in every position," said Osgood. "The manager inherited a good squad, but he's strengthened it and he's made it far more consistent." That consistency dictates that there is little scope for dismissing the League Cup. It is four years since Chelsea won a major trophy - the 2000 FA Cup - and Mourinho, not to mention Abramovich, will not contemplate a season without silverware.
"The League Cup is not an irrelevance to us," added Eidur Gudjohnsen. "We haven't won anything yet, but the first trophy is very important." The suspicion remains that the first might prompt an avalanche.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth defender David Unsworth is available again after suspension as his side take on Championship side Watford at Vicarage Road in tonight's other quarter-final.
Midfielder Amdy Faye could also be given a starting role as Pompey plan to play their strongest team. Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop faces a late hamstring test but Jamie Ashdown looks set to deputise with his fourth appearance in the last five games.
Watford could be without Brynjar Gunnarsson and Jermaine Darlington. Influential midfielder Gunnarsson was forced to come off shortly before half-time in Saturday's defeat at West Ham, and Darlington had to withdraw 13 minutes from full-time.
Dominic Blizzard has replaced Gunnarsson in the centre when the Iceland international has been unavailable this season, and is set to deputise. Paul Mayo could replace Darlington at left-back if the former QPR player misses out.
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