Chelsea face a delicate disciplinary balancing act ahead of their FA Cup clash with Wrexham, as Pedro Neto and two other players all sit just one yellow card away from an immediate one-match domestic cup ban.
Liam Rosenior faces a tough test next up in the FA Cup as an in-form Wrexham side welcomes Chelsea to the Racecourse in round five of the competition.
Wrexham are unbeaten in their last five games in all competitions, winning four of them.
But Chelsea have the upper hand when it comes to a recent record, as they won 5-0 in a 2023 pre-season game. Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, Conor Gallagher and Ian Maatsen all managed to get their names on the scoresheet that day.
And Wrexham owner Ryan Reynolds was excited after the draw, especially after they predicted a meeting with Chelsea after the meeting in America.
However, three Chelsea players need to be careful this time round.
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Pedro Neto, Benoit Badiashile and Mamadou Sarr one yellow card away from suspension
The FA Cup this weekend has nothing to do with the Premier League yellow card rules.
However, Mamadou Sarr, Pedro Neto and Benoit Badiashile are one yellow off a one-game ban in the FA Cup, with Wrexham to play this weekend.
Sarr and Neto were the two standouts from Chelsea’s win over Hull City in the last round, so you would think that both players would be in with a start against the Championship side.
Especially given the fact that Neto served a suspension in the Premier League against Aston Villa.
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Chelsea paid £60m last summer.
The perfect chance to rest Cole Palmer against Wrexham
Liam Rosenior has a unique opportunity to protect Cole Palmer’s long-term fitness by utilising Pedro Neto’s versatility during the FA Cup trip to Wrexham.
While Palmer is finally feeling pain-free, the congested March schedule, highlighted by a looming Champions League clash with PSG, makes this the perfect moment for a strategic rest. Neto has already proven he can be the solution; in the previous round against Hull City, Rosenior deployed the Portuguese star in a central number 10 role to devastating effect, where he netted a hat-trick.
This shift allows Alejandro Garnacho and potentially the returning Estevao Willian to provide the width, ensuring Chelsea’s front line remains balanced.
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