The EFL Cup is a competition primed for rotation so there are questions about what the Chelsea lineup will look like for their big clash with Manchester City. Injuries have had their impact on the depth at Stamford Bridge but youngster Omari Hutchinson could be in line for a starting spot along with academy graduate Armando Broja.
Chelsea Lineup Prediction for EFL Cup Clash with Manchester City
Matchday minus one! 👊 pic.twitter.com/0pF56ls1Sq
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 8, 2022
How Chelsea Have Lined-Up Recently
Edouard Mendy, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Jorginho, Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount, and Kai Havertz have all been regular names on the team sheet in recent weeks despite the tinkering of the formation.
Read More: Fabrizio Romano Names Chelsea’s Biggest Competition for Brazilian ‘Phenemenon’
Injuries have also forced Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta into starting spots over some preferred options.
Chelsea’s Recent Form and Tactics
With two of his three wing-backs out injured Graham Potter has been forced to switch to a back four for the past two games. This has seen him opt for a modified 4-3-3 with one attacker tending to drop deep into space. This could be a good opportunity for midfielder Denis Zakaria to make his second appearance for the club. The 25-year-old has only made one appearance for club since joining on loan from Juventus.
Read More: Chelsea Vision 2030 Project: A Necessary Overhaul of Academy Football
The entire team has been affected by the injuries to key players and the near-constant formation changes, so much so that The Blues have not got a win in their last four domestic games.
Chelsea Injuries to Consider
The injury list is somewhat lengthy in Stamford Bridge at the moment. Long-term absentees Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, and N’Golo Kante are joined by first-choice goalkeeper Kepa Arizabalaga and youngster Carney Chukwuemeka on the sidelines. With so many players out due to injury and an important Premier League clash against 3rd-place Newcastle United looming at the weekend, Potter may take the opportunity to hand starts to some of the Blues’ less familiar faces.
One of those faces could be highly-rated winger Omari Hutchinson, who was told not to report for international duty for Jamaica as he would be included in the Matchday squad at the Etihad.
⚽️🅰️🅰️. Onto the next pic.twitter.com/5f7WTWnZ6V
— Omari Hutchinson (@omarihutch7) October 19, 2022
Chelsea Lineup Predictions
We’re expecting some rotation but a consistent 4-3-3 style layout from Potter:
GK – Edouard Mendy
LB – Marc Cucurella
CB – Kalidou Koulibaly
CB – Trevoh Chalobah
RB – Cesar Azpilicueta
CM – Conor Gallagher
CM – Denis Zakaria
CM – Mateo Kovacic
AT – Omari Hutchinson
AT – Armando Broja
AT – Christian Pulisic
Current Odds: Chelsea vs Manchester City
SkyBet unsurprisingly has The Citizens as the favourites to win and advance to the next round. At 4/9 odds the betting market is almost guaranteeing a win for Pep Guardiola’s side.
