In preparation for Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is confronted with a tactical dilemma.
The Blues are coming into the London derby on a high following a dominant 5-1 win against Southampton.
This win moved them up to second position in the league, only behind Liverpool and ahead of Arsenal on goal differential.
Reece James, Omari Kellyman, and Wesley Fofana are still out with thigh issues, so Chelsea’s injury situation is not that bad.
But Maresca can afford to take risks in this high-profile matchup because his team is generally healthy and he has plenty of attacking alternatives.
In midweek, Chelsea’s attacking quartet—Christopher Nkunku, Cole Palmer, Joao Felix, and Noni Madueke—wowed the crowd with their individual contributions to the score.
It is believed that Maresca may shuffle his frontline despite their impressive achievements.
We should expect to see Pedro Neto and Nicolas Jackson back on the pitch, with Jackson looking to repeat his hat trick from last season’s match.
Many believe that Jadon Sancho, who can inject some creativity and unpredictability into the attack, will make a triumphant return to the starting lineup.
Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo should both continue in the middle of the pitch, where they have been sensational recently.
Their growing relationship has kept Argentine playmaker Romeo Lavia out of the starting lineup, but his impact on Chelsea’s recent games makes him a must-have for a match of this magnitude.
It is also possible to make adjustments to the defence. The replacement for Wesley Fofana, Axel Disasi, has done a commendable job, but the team needs the stability that Levi Colwill can provide up front.
Robert Sanchez will take Filip Jorgensen’s place in goal, while fullbacks Marc Cucurella and Malo Gusto will probably keep their spots.
The expected starting lineup for the derby by Chelsea shows how Maresca has managed to reward players who are now performing well while also bringing back important players for one of the season’s most challenging tests.
It would be a huge morale boost for Chelsea to beat such a tough opponent at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and it would also improve their title chances...CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
Everything is on the line, and Maresca’s choices may have a deciding effect. Sanchez, Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, and Cucurella; Caicedo and Fernandez; Sancho, Palmer, and Neto; and Jackson are the predicted starting eleven.
