Chelsea’s interim head coach, Calum McFarlane, has announced his starting lineup for the Premier League game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The former under-21s coach has a tough first job as a senior manager, with the game set to start at 17:30 UK time.
After Enzo Maresca left Chelsea on New Year’s Day, McFarlane was promoted to the first team. The London club come to Manchester to stop a worrying drop in form, as they have only won one of their last seven Premier League games. The Blues are in fifth place in the table with 30 points from 19 games. Pep Guardiola’s team are in second place with 41 points.
The team sheet shows that Brazilian winger Estevao will start on the right side. Since joining in the summer, the former Palmeiras player has been impressive, scoring five goals in all competitions, three of which were in the Champions League. Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s creative star, plays in the attacking midfield position, and Joao Pedro, the club’s top scorer with six goals this season, leads the line.
Reece James is the captain of the team, and this is his most recent game after having trouble with injuries earlier in the season. The England international is the anchor of the midfield, which also includes Enzo Fernandez. Pedro Neto is on the other side of Estevao and gives the team width. McFarlane has chosen a back four with Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, and Josh Acheampong. Filip Jorgensen is in goal.
There are several attacking options on the bench, including new signing Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens, and Liam Delap. This gives McFarlane the flexibility to adjust the plan if necessary.
More Pressure on Chelsea
Chelsea’s last game ended in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, which was part of the team’s inconsistent run. The team from the capital will have a tough test against Manchester City, who are four points behind Arsenal in the league and are trying to catch them.
Chelsea have nine games to play in January across different competitions, so this game puts immediate pressure on McFarlane to get good results while the club look for a permanent replacement. Liam Rosenior, who is currently in charge of French team Strasbourg, who have the same owners as Chelsea, is one of the top candidates for the permanent job.