Chelsea predicted XI vs. Wolves: Four changes as James & Neto face fitness testsplaceholder image
Chelsea predicted XI vs. Wolves: Four changes as James & Neto face fitness tests | Getty Images
The latest Chelsea team news, injury updates and predicted line-up for their Premier League match against Wolves.
Chelsea will be looking to win their fourth Premier League match in succession this weekend when they travel to the Molineux to face an embattled Wolves side – but new manager Liam Rosenior will have his options heavily curtailed by a long list of injury issues.
Pedro Neto and club captain Reece James are among the most recent injury victims and both are doubts for Saturday’s game, while Jamie Gittens and Tosin Adarabioyo are also among nine first-team players who are currently either out or doubts for this weekend.
With kick-off rapidly approaching, we’ve collected all of the latest Chelsea team news and injury updates below, along with our prediction for Rosenior’s starting line-up.
Will Reece James or Pedro Neto be fit to face Wolves?
Rosenior has yet to disclose the precise nature of the “small knock” which kept captain Reece James out of the EFL Cup semi-final second leg defeat to Arsenal in midweek, but The Evening Standard report that there is “optimism” that the 26-year-old will be able to lead Chelsea out at the Molineux.
Pedro Neto is another player who unexpectedly missed out against Arsenal due to an undisclosed minor injury. The Portuguese winger will hope to be able to play against his former club, but after Rosenior told the press that Neto was “in too much pain to play” on Tuesday evening, there remains a doubt over his availability.
Another doubt is centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, who resumed light training last week following a hamstring injury. The Wolves match is likely to come slightly too soon, with next Tuesday’s match against Leeds a more realistic target, but there is some chance that the former Fulham man could feature on Saturday.
The status of all three players remains uncertain pending any updates from Rosenior in his Friday pre-match press conference, and another player we can expect news on is back-up goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen, who has missed the last two matches due to a minor issue the nature of which was, again, not made public. Rosenior has said that Jörgensen is “close” to a return and he is expected to be available for the bench once more.
How long is Jamie Gittens out for – and who else will Chelsea be missing?
A more serious fitness concern is young winger Jamie Gittens, who sustained a torn hamstring during the recent 3-2 comeback win over West Ham. Rosenior told the media prior to the Arsenal match that Gittens’ injury was “long term” and while he declined to offer a return date, a typical recovery period would put him out of action for four to six weeks.
Chelsea are also expected to be forced to make do without the services of midfielder Roméo Lavia, who is in the final stage of rehabilitation after his latest injury issue – a mid-to-late February return is expected for the Belgian midfielder.
The Wolves game will also come too soon for youngster Dário Essugo, who is believed to be targeting an early March return, while defender Levi Colwill is still expected to be out for the season due to a ruptured ACL. Winger Mykhaylo Mudryk remains suspended for an alleged doping violation. It remains to be seen whether Rosenior returns to his usual 4-2-3-1 formation for the Wolves match having experimented with a back three against Arsenal, but the return from compassionate leave of wonderkid Estêvão Willian makes it likely.
Chelsea predicted starting XI vs. Wolves: Sánchez; Cucurella, Chalobah, Fofana, James; Caicedo, Fernández; Garnacho, Palmer, Estêvão; Pedro.
Continue Reading