Chelsea welcome Fulham to Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day for a west London derby, looking to close the gap to Liverpool atop the Premier League.
Enzo Maresca’s side saw their five game Premier League winning streak come to an end with a scoreless draw against Everton. However, Chelsea are still unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions and in sole possession of second place.
Rotations in midweek games have become the norm this season for Chelsea. Nevertheless, this isn’t a UEFA Conference League game or a league clash vs. last place Southampton, so Maresca might field a similar XI to the one he used at Goodison Park.
Marc Cucurella will return after serving his suspension to bolster a defense that’s still without Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Benoît Badiashile who are out injured.
Here’s how Chelsea could take the field come Fulham on Boxing Day.
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GK: Robert Sánchez—The Spaniard has been vital in Chelsea’s last two league games and will look to keep up the momentum.
RB: Malo Gusto—Cucurella’s return means Gusto will move back to the right side of defense, replacing Axel Disasi.
CB: Tosin Adarabioyo—Adarabioyo has been solid in place of Fofana and will be motivated to perform well against his former team.
CB: Levi Colwill—The England international will partner Adarabioyo in the middle of the back line.
LB: Marc Cucurella—Cucurella returns from suspension and will slide back into the lineup looking to make it three games on the bounce with a goal.
CM: Moisés Caicedo—The Ecuadorian has been one of the best midfielders in this Premier League campaign.
CM: Enzo Fernández—Although his streak of goal involvements in seven straight games came to an end, the Argentine midfielder continued his surge in form against Everton.
RW: Noni Madueke—Pedro Neto failed to make an impact over the weekend leading to Madueke’s return.
AM: Cole Palmer—Palmer will once again be the focal point of Chelsea’s attack.
LW: João Félix—The Portuguese international could replace Jadon Sancho in the lineup in what would be his third league start of the season.
ST: Nicolas Jackson—Jackson will lead the Blues front line looking to avoid going scoreless in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
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This HTML code snippet provides a preview and analysis of the upcoming west London derby between Chelsea and Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. It discusses Chelsea’s recent form, injury concerns, and potential lineup for the match.
The article mentions that Chelsea is looking to close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table. Despite their five-game winning streak coming to an end with a draw against Everton, Chelsea remains unbeaten in their last 12 games in all competitions and holds the second position in the league.
The article also highlights the potential lineup for Chelsea in the upcoming match against Fulham. It mentions key players like Robert Sánchez in goal, Malo Gusto at right-back, and Marc Cucurella returning from suspension at left-back. The midfield duo of Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández is expected to continue their impressive performances, while Cole Palmer and João Félix are set to lead the attack alongside Nicolas Jackson.
Overall, the article provides a detailed analysis of Chelsea’s form, injury updates, and potential lineup for the upcoming derby match, giving fans an insight into what to expect from the team on Boxing Day.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Fulham: Premier League
With Chelsea set to face Fulham in a crucial Premier League match, all eyes are on who manager Thomas Tuchel will select in his starting lineup. The Blues will be looking to secure three points and continue their push for a top-four finish.
Here is our predicted lineup for Chelsea:
Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy
Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger
Midfielders: Reece James, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ben Chilwell
Forwards: Mason Mount, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech
Tuchel may opt for a slightly more attacking lineup against Fulham, with Mount, Werner, and Ziyech providing creativity and goal-scoring threat up front. Kante and Jorginho will anchor the midfield and provide stability in possession.
The back three of Azpilicueta, Silva, and Rudiger have been solid in recent matches and will be crucial in keeping Fulham’s attacking threats at bay.
Overall, this lineup gives Chelsea a good balance of defensive solidity and attacking prowess, and should give them a good chance of securing all three points against Fulham.
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