Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Chelsea could line up for Wednesday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino must cope without midfielder Conor Gallagher for Wednesday’s Premier League showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The England international stood in as captain for the weekend’s 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, but he was banished from the field of play on the stroke of half time due to a pair of bookable offences.
Gallagher will hand the armband straight back to Reece James on Wednesday, as the Blues skipper served a one-game ban of his own on Sunday, as did fellow defender Marc Cucurella.
The Blues could potentially have Malo Gusto (tendon), Romeo Lavia (ankle) and Christopher Nkunku (knee) available too, but none of Wesley Fofana (knee), Carney Chukwuemeka (knee), Trevoh Chalobah (thigh) or Ben Chilwell (thigh) will make their comebacks just yet.
Playing a starring role against old club Brighton with seven saves, Robert Sanchez will remain in possession of the gloves, but Thiago Silva‘s 39-year-old legs could be spared amid the quick turnaround, allowing former Monaco teammates Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile to pair up.
Disasi is eligible to be shifted to a central role thanks to James’s return, but Cucurella might lose out to Levi Colwill for a start on the left thanks to the Englishman’s crucial header on Sunday.
Fresh from scoring his first two Premier League goals at the 31st attempt, Enzo Fernandez will continue alongside Moises Caicedo in the engine room, while the returning Cole Palmer is likely to be a straight swap for the suspended Gallagher.
Palmer being deployed in the number 10 spot would allow Mykhaylo Mudryk – who won the penalty for Fernandez’s second on Sunday – to reprise his role on the left, while Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson should be shoo-ins in the final third.
Chelsea possible starting lineup: Sanchez; James, Disasi, Badiashile, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo; Sterling, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
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