Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Chelsea could line up for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest.
Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino should be working with an identical group of players for Saturday’s Premier League trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.
The Blues ran out 5-0 victors over London rivals Chelsea last weekend, where all of Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling, Malo Gusto and Levi Colwill made the bench after recovering from various afflictions.
All of Reece James (thigh), Ben Chilwell (knee), Robert Sanchez (unspecified), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Wesley Fofana (knee), Carney Chukwuemeka (knee), Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Enzo Fernandez (hernia) remain absent, though, and none is expected back for the weekend.
Pochettino will see no need to chop and change too much after the thrashing of the Irons, although Gusto’s return to fitness might see Trevoh Chalobah cede his spot to the returning Frenchman, who may be better equipped to deal with Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Benoit Badiashile, Marc Cucurella, Djordje Petrovic and the departing Thiago Silva should all reprise their roles in the backline, though, and the same goes for Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher in the engine room.
The latter’s strike against West Ham last weekend made it 12 direct contributions for the Premier League season – a new personal best – while Cole Palmer notched his 21st of the top-flight campaign and will pull the strings as ever.
Joining the Premier League Young Player of the Year nominee in an unaltered attack should be Noni Madueke, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Nicolas Jackson, the latter of whom bagged his 12th and 13th goals of the season in the trouncing of the Hammers.
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Gusto, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Gallagher, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
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