Ben Chilwell Chelsea
Chelsea Football Club Stamford Bridge
Chelsea secured a routine victory in the Conference League in midweek, but their focus now shifts back to the Premier League as they prepare for a short trip across London to face Arsenal in matchweek 29.
The Blues currently hold onto the fourth place in the table, but Manchester City are breathing down their necks – sitting just two points behind. With City playing on Saturday, Chelsea could find themselves under immense pressure to secure three points on Sunday to maintain their position.
Their recent record against Arsenal has been inconsistent, but Enzo Maresca’s side are in excellent form, going unbeaten in their last four matches while scoring nine goals in their previous five outings. A draw wouldn’t be a disastrous result, but with the middle of the table massively congested, any dropped points could see Chelsea slip as far down as eighth by the end of the next matchweek.
Chelsea’s Team News, Injuries, and Expected Rotations:
As expected, Maresca fielded a heavily rotated squad in midweek, resting most of his key players. For the Arsenal clash, Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, and Marc Cucurella are all set to return to the starting lineup.
Reece James, however, is likely to remain on the bench. Due to his constant injury woes, the right-back has only started seven Premier League games this season, and so Wesley Fofana should retain his place on the right side of the defence.
In midfield, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will pair up in central midfield due to Romeo Lavia’s injury. And with Noni Madueke also unavailable, Jadon Sancho is expected to start on the right wing once again.
Up front, Pedro Neto will continue as the central striker in the absence of both Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson. Apart from these two, Malo Gusto is sidelined with a knock, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended.
Chelsea’s performances have been solid in recent weeks, but one area of concern for the manager is Jadon Sancho. The winger started brightly after joining the club but has struggled for form, with his last goal contribution coming in early January. With limited attacking options, the Chelsea manager will have no choice but to persist with the England international, despite his underwhelming return of just four assists in 22 league appearances.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Arsenal:
Goalkeeper: Robert Sanchez
Defenders: Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer
Forwards: Jadon Sancho, Pedro Neto, Christopher Nkunku