Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian will return to the Chelsea starting lineup when they welcome Liverpool to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Chelsea will be eager to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Enzo Maresca has a new roster issue to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Trevoh Chalobah is the latest absentee after being sent off against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend. Mykhailo Mudryk also continues serving his suspension after failing a doping test several months ago. However, there is some positive news, as Wesley Fofana (concussion) and Andrey Santos (knock) may return.
However, Tosin Adarabioyo (calf), Levi Colwill (knee), Dario Essugo (hamstring), Cole Palmer (groin), and Liam Delap (thigh) remain in the treatment room. Adarabioyo and Palmer will return after the international break, with Saturday’s match the last game they will miss. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Maresca provided fitness updates on several players.
The Chelsea manager said, “Cole [Palmer] is still out. Trevoh is also suspended [after receiving a red card against Brighton], and we have seven or eight players out for tomorrow’s game. I don’t have any update at the moment [on Palmer]. We have a meeting this week to see how he is and we will then decide [whether he can return after the international break].”
Maresca also discussed his penchant for utilising youth prospects. He said, “I think it’s a fact that I really trust the young players, not just the young players we have signed, but the young players from the Academy. I really trust all the players we have and at the moment we have four or five defenders out, so we will try to adapt and find the right solutions for tomorrow’s game.”
Robert Sanchez will take his spot between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Liverpool on Saturday. The backline will feature Reece James, Josh Acheampong, Benoit Badiashile, and Marc Cucurella.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo in the double pivot. Facundo Buonanotte will reprise the no. 10 role, with Estevao Willian and Pedro Neto being the two wide attackers. Finally, Joao Pedro will lead the line for the Blues against Liverpool on Saturday.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Sanchez; James, Acheampong, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez; Estevao, Buonanotte, Neto; Joao Pedro
