This is a Chelsea predicted lineup for their Premier League clash with fellow European spot-chasers Aston Villa on December 1. This is a key clash in the race to keep pace with Arsenal, Manchester City, and others at the top of the table. Just three points separate the two sides with a win being crucial for either party.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Aston Villa in Premier League Clash
How Chelsea Have Lined Up Recently
Rob Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen continue to split duties in goal with the back line being shifted around due to injury. Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, and Reece James have all played at right-back. James, Gusto, Marc Cucurella, and Renato Veiga have been seen at left-back while Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Fofana, and Levi Colwill have been in the centre.
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In midfield, Cesare Casadei, Enzo Fernandez, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia have all featured as deeper-lying midfielders. In the attacking end Joao Felix, Jadon Sancho, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, and Tyrique George have all started.
Nicolas Jackson is the starting striker, Nkunku used to fill in that slot too but he’s recently been moved back to allow for Marc Guiu to start in other competitions.
Chelsea Recent Form and Tactics
Enzo Maresca has stayed true to his fluid 4-2-3-1 formation that tends to act like a 3-2-4-1 in reality. There’s been a more attacking edge to it in recent matches with it being almost like a 3-1-5-1 with one midfielder sitting back, one floating around the box to exploit space, and two players in the half-space and applying pressure around the box.
How this manifests depends on the personnel with Gusto briefly moving into a half-space from right-back, while against Leicester Cucurella became a winger of sorts and allowed Felix to move inside.
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Results haven’t been bad, the Blues find themselves on a run of five matches without defeat, two of those being draws against Arsenal and Manchester United. A rare clean sheet against Heidenheim and Jackson’s scoring touch should fill fans with some hope of a good result here.
Chelsea Injuries to Consider
James is absent with some reports indicating he won’t be seen on the field until the new year. Neto and Gusto were both absent from the squad last weekend with different issues and didn’t travel in midweek but could be fit for this one.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Aston Villa
Maresca occasionally shows his hand with his European selection, Badiashile, Disasi, and Tosin starting on Thursday indicates that they won’t do so on Sunday, Felix coming from the bench means he could be in line for a second successive start in the league
GK – Rob Sanchez
LB – Marc Cucurella
CB – Levi Colwill
CB – Wesley Fofana
RB – Malo Gusto
DM – Moises Caicedo
DM/CM – Enzo Fernandez
LW – Joao Felix
CAM – Cole Palmer
RW – Noni Madueke
ST – Nicolas Jackson