It’s the Enzo Maresca derby as his current employers take on the side he won the Championship with at his old stomping ground the King Power Stadium. This is a Chelsea predicted lineup for the clash as they return from the international break with the travel likely to impact the team selection against this lower table opposition.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Leicester City in Premier League Tie
How Chelsea Have Lined Up Recently
Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen have split the minutes in goal depending on the competition. The back four has been mixed around to fit different personnel with Marc Cucurella, Malo Gusto, Reece James, and Axel Disasi all getting minutes at full-back. Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile are one pairing in the centre, while Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana are the other.
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Renato Veiga has also played in defence, mainly as an inverting left-back but he has also featured in midfield. The deeper midfield spots have gone to Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caiceo, and Romeo Lavia.
Youngsters Marc Guiu and Tyrique George got starts in Europe but don’t usually feature. Mykhailo Mudryk, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Christopher Nkunku, Cole Palmer, Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, and Noni Madueke fill in the other midfield spots.
Nicolas Jackson is the first-choice striker with Nkunku and Guiu also getting starts in that position as rotation options.
Chelsea Recent Form and Tactics
Maresca has continued to use his fluid 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 but has used a more attacking 4-1-4-1 on occasion, this allows two players to occupy the space around the box without the need for Gusto to invert or one of the pivot players to push up.
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Form is an interesting one, if you take out the Europa Conference League which the team are waltzing through handily, they only have one win in their last five matches. Hard-fought draws with Manchester United and Arsenal might feel like points gained but there are major worries about the defence which appears incapable of keeping a clean sheet. With the fire power of Palmer, Madueke, and Jackson dwindling slightly, that could spell issues for the Blues.
Chelsea Injuries to Consider
The manager confirmed that James is once again sidelined with an injury. There are also some additional doubts about the players who pulled out of international duty as well as Fernandez and Caicedo who travelled back from South America during the week.
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Per PremierInjuries, there are questions surrounding Jadon Sancho, Palmer, Fofana, Colwill, and Lavia.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Leicester
GK – Rob Sanchez
LB – Marc Cucurella
CB – Levi Colwill
CB – Wesley Fofana
RB – Malo Gusto
DM – Moises Caicedo
DM – Romeo Lavia
LW – Pedro Neto
CAM – Cole Palmer
RW – Noni Madueke
ST – Nicolas Jackson
