Mykhailo Mudryk will return, but Reece James and Raheem Sterling will be unavailable when Chelsea and Leicester City face off on Saturday.
Chelsea will be eager to continue the recent momentum-building run when they lock horns with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon. And Graham Potter has new concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Reece James is ill and will be unavailable to take on Leicester City. In addition, Raheem Sterling is recovering from a minor hamstring issue and is doubtful for the game. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is also out due to a back injury. But the veteran striker would not have started anyway.
Meanwhile, Cesar Azpilicueta and Mason Mount might be available. But Edouard Mendy (finger), Thiago Silva (knee), N’Golo Kante (hamstring), and Armando Broja (knee) remain on the sidelines. However, Potter provided a positive update on Kante during his pre-match press conference, although he remains unavailable.
He said, “N’Golo won’t be in the squad, he still needs some more time to build up. We’re aiming maybe towards the game against Everton, but unfortunately not for tomorrow. The most important thing for N’Golo and Thiago is to get them back injury free and then the more good players we have the better.”
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On James, Sterling, and Aubameyang, he said, “Reece has been ill so hasn’t trained today, so he won’t make the game tomorrow. Raheem had a little feeling in his hamstring, more tightness than anything, so he’s looking doubtful for tomorrow as well. Aubameyang’s had a slight problem with his back, so again he’s looking like he’ll miss the game. Apart from that everybody’s okay.”
Meanwhile, Potter gave his backing to Mykhailo Mudryk, saying, “Mykhailo certainly comes into the equation. He’s a player we believe in a lot, he’s adapting to the new situation. When he arrived he was at the start of a pre-season campaign really. But day by day and week by week he’s getting stronger and stronger, so he will be in the squad tomorrow and there’s a chance that he could play.”
Mudryk should start in place of the injured Sterling, joining Joao Felix and Kai Havertz in the final third. So Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Noni Madueke, and David Datro Fofana will be backup options on the bench.
As for the midfield unit, Mateo Kovacic and Enzo Fernandez seem to be forging a solid pairing. The duo will continue in the middle of the park, meaning Denis Zakaria and Conor Gallagher will be on the bench again. But Ruben Loftus-Cheek should start in James’s absence. And Marc Cucurella will get a rare start, with Potter likely handing Ben Chilwell some rest.
The final change in the starting lineup will come in the central defensive unit. Benoit Badiashile, who Potter has omitted from the UEFA Champions League squad, will replace Trevoh Chalobah. The Frenchman will join Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana in the back three. Finally, there is no looking past Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Kepa; Fofana, Koulibaly, Badiashile; Loftus-Cheek, Enzo Fernandez, Kovacic, Cucurella; Felix, Havertz, Mudryk
