The Chelsea lineup for the upcoming London Derby with Arsenal is a tough one to predict. Injuries to Ben Chilwell and Kepa Arizabalaga leave the already hurting squad in a state of disarray ahead of a visit from one of the top teams in England this season.
Chelsea Lineup Prediction for London Derby With Premier League High Fliers Arsenal
How Chelsea Have Lined-Up Recently
Tactical flexibility has been the name of the game for Graham Potter and his side. In midweek we saw a switch from a three at the back to a more regular back four, something that could become a feature of the starting lineup.
Read More: Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Chelsea: How the Gunners Will Set Up in London Derby
The Englishman also tends to send his side out with three central midfielders, something which we also expect to continue despite a potential switch to a back four.
Chelsea’s Recent Form and Tactics
After setting out in variations of a 3-4-3 for a run of games the 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb was more akin to a 4-3-1-2 with Kai Havertz sitting behind the front two. Results have been spotty as The Blues are currently on a run of three league games without a win which could be what sparked the switch to a back four in midweek.
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Chelsea Injuries to Consider
Following my ACL injury I worked so hard to make sure I was ready for the World Cup. It has always been a dream of mine. Unfortunately, this won’t be possible following my scan results. I’ll do all I can to get back playing for Chelsea ASAP. Thanks for the messages of support 💙 pic.twitter.com/2H01Whhfhn
— Ben Chilwell (@BenChilwell) November 5, 2022
The big one is the injury to Ben Chilwell. With the England international sidelined the team are missing two first-choice wing-backs, which was a potent weapon for the side this season. Others like Kepa Arizabalaga and Carney Chukwuemeka join long-term absentees Wesley Fofana, N’Golo Kante and James on the injured list.
On a positive note, game-winner Denis Zakaria should be fit to take part in the London derby.
Chelsea Lineup Prediction
We expect the team to line out in a similar formation to the win over Zagreb with a variation on the 4-3-3, likely a 4-3-1-2, utilised:
GK: Edouard Mendy
LB: Marc Cucurella
CB: Thiago Silva
CB: Kalidou Koulibaly
RB: Cesar Azpilicueta
CM: Mateo Kovacic
CM: Denis Zakaria
CM: Jorginho
AT: Mason Mount
AT: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
AT: Kai Havertz
Current Odds: Chelsea vs Arsenal
SkyBet has this one on a knife edge. The home team are 8/5 to get the win while the visitors are at 13/8 odds of taking the spoils.
The Blues. 💫#UCL pic.twitter.com/n1o7EQnheN
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 2, 2022
