Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Chelsea are looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League against Hull City, and The Chelsea Chronicle have named three players who are under pressure to deliver a performance.
Xabi Alonso’s side were given a reminder of what it takes to compete at the top of this division with their defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates.
While Hull on paper is a far more comfortable task, their start to the season has left the Blues unable to underestimate them. They already have picked up four points from games against Manchester United and Aston Villa.
Three Chelsea players under pressure to deliver vs Hull
Alonso is therefore destined to pick his strongest possible side, and there are three players who need a strong performance to extend their stay in the starting XI.
Emi Martinez
After Emi Martinez was signed to put an end to their goalkeeping woes, he showed weakness for the first time in a Chelsea shirt against Arsenal.
Martinez was criticised for not saving Kai Havertz’s goal that levelled the game, with some supporters left wondering if they had actually strengthened the position.
The 2022 World Cup winner needs to put any of those discussions to bed quickly, and can do so by keeping a rare Premier League clean sheet for the Blues today.
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Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP via Getty Images
Pedro Neto
Throughout the summer, Chelsea fans were not against Pedro Neto leaving the club upon interest from Manchester City and Saudi Arabia.
Fast forward to now, and the club have rewarded him with a new contract after starting the season in the wing-back role very well.
Now, the job for Neto is winning over the remaining supporters who are not convinced by him, with the Portugal international expected to start in the wake of Marco Palestra’s injury.
Levi Colwill
It has been a strange season so far for Levi Colwill. He has looked as if he is struggling with the demands of playing on the left of a back three.
Jorrel Hato remains an option for this position, however the physicality Hull bring to games suggests that it will be the England international selected today.
Colwill is still recovering back to full fitness following his serious knee injury last season, but will not want to leave it long before he hits his stride in Alonso’s system.