Chelsea predicted line-up vs. Cardiff: Palmer may be rested as five miss outplaceholder image
Chelsea predicted line-up vs. Cardiff: Palmer may be rested as five miss out | Getty Images
The latest Chelsea team news and predicted line-up ahead of the EFL Cup quarter-final against Cardiff City.
Hot on the heels of their much-needed 2-0 win over Everton this weekend, Chelsea are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to South Wales to take on Cardiff City in the EFL Cup quarter-final.
League One Cardiff have been the surprise package of the tournament thus far and have already knocked out one Premier League side in Burnley, but Chelsea will head in to the game as firm favourites – but with fitness issues at the forefront of Enzo Maresca’s mind heading into the match, how strong of a team will he name as the busy festive period approaches?
We’ve got all of the latest Chelsea team news and injury updates below including the latest on whether Cole Palmer will be involved at the Cardiff City Stadium, along with our prediction for Maresca’s starting line-up below.
Will Cole Palmer play for Chelsea against Cardiff City?
With no fresh injury concerns reported after Chelsea earned their first win in five matches against Everton, the biggest question mark for Tuesday concerns the availability of Cole Palmer, who is having his minutes managed carefully following recent groin and toe injuries.
Palmer was rested for last week’s Champions League fixture against Atalanta and while he started at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, he was replaced by Andrey Santos just before the hour mark.
Speaking to Match of the Day after facing Everton, Palmer - who scored the opening goal - admitted “I wouldn't say I'm at my best yet. I'm still dealing with an injury. Hopefully it gets better and better but there's still a bit to go… It's just a matter of not doing too much too soon. Literally, it's just a day-by-day thing.”
Maresca has not yet discussed the role Palmer might play against Cardiff but it appears likely that he will not start and may be left out of the matchday squad altogether if his continued recovery demands it.
Five out for Chelsea but Caicedo returns
Chelsea will have to make do without five first-team players outside of Palmer this Tuesday, partly due to bad news on the recovery of young midfielder Dário Essugo, who had been reported as being close to a return from a thigh injury, with some media outlets even suggesting that he could be involved against Cardiff.
Maresca told the press that Essugo had sustained a new, “small” injury after initially returning to training and said that he was unclear whether the Portuguese would be available this side of Christmas.
Joining Essugo on the sidlelines are Liam Delap (shoulder), Roméo Lavia (muscular), Levi Colwill (ACL) and Mykhaylo Mudryk, who remains suspended due to an alleged doping offence. Chelsea will, at least, be able to call upon Moisés Caicedo again after he served the final game of a three-match ban against Everton.
Outside of fitness concerns, previous EFL Cup selections suggest that Maresca may well hand Filip Jörgensen a start in goal, while Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George are among the young players who could start as Chelsea press for a place in the semi-final.
Chelsea predicted line-up vs. Cardiff City: Jörgensen; Hato, Adarabioyo, Acheampong, Gusto; Santos, Caicedo; Gittens, Buonanotte, Estêvão; Guiu.
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