Chelsea will bid to return to winning ways in the Premier League on Thursday evening when they host London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues grabbed a credible point in their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday. They managed to show some character after the harrowing 5-0 away defeat to capital rivals Arsenal in midweek. Goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher earned Mauricio Pochettino’s side a point in their fading charge for European qualification, and they thought they had nicked it at the death through substitute Axel Disasi’s header, only for VAR to rule that goal out.
Nonetheless, the west London side will want to put up a show and complete the league double over Tottenham, who head across the capital reeling from their 3-2 North London derby defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.
Chelsea Team News
Raheem Sterling missed the game at Aston Villa but could be back in the squad to face Tottenham. Thiago Silva suffered a groin problem which could potentially end his season.
Mauricio Pochettino stated that Christopher Nkunku, Reece James and Levi Colwill could all return from injury against Spurs, but is not 100 per cent sure. As a result, he is likely to have more or less the similar squad that travelled to Villa Park last weekend.
Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on a persistent hernia problem.
Predicted Chelsea lineup vs Tottenham (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
With Robert Sanchez’s chances of returning from injury slim in midweek, Djordje Petrovic is likely to continue in goal for the Blues. He will be determined to shut the shop as soon as possible against Spurs.
Defence
Axel Disasi replaced the injured Thiago Silva in the 90th minute at Villa Park and looks likely to start on Thursday. He will partner his French compatriot Benoit Badiashile at the heart of Chelsea’s defence, with Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella continuing as the full-backs.
The Chelsea back four have to be defensively disciplined and alert if they are to keep a strong Spurs attack quiet at Stamford Bridge.
Midfield
As Enzo Fernandez is ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, and the likes of Romeo Lavia and Lesley Ugochukwu are still on the sidelines, there is no looking past the double pivot of Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher in the middle of the park. Caicedo and Gallagher worked well in the engine room and helped Chelsea dictate the tempo of play in the second half against Aston Villa, and Pochettino will hope something similar from the duo.
Cole Palmer had a rare quiet outing in a Chelsea shirt on Saturday. The Englishman will be raring to make a mark and get himself on the scoresheet against Spurs.
Attack
The front three that started in the 2-2 draw with Villa are unlikely to change, meaning Noni Madueke, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson are all certain to start here. Jackson, who had a goal chopped off at Villa Park due to offside, will lead the Chelsea attack flanked by Madueke and Mudryk.
Raheem Sterling could return to the squad and get some minutes off the bench.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
