So after setting a fine tune against the newly promoted side Hull City, just before the international break, the Blues of London are now up against the defending Premier League Champions, Leicester City. The sides previously met this season in an EFL cup tie and Chelsea made a memorial come back that night, as they defeated the Foxes by four goals to two.
The last time these two sides met at the Stamford Bridge for the Premier League showdown, the game ended all square, but the result won’t be the same this time around. Former Leicester star N’Golo Kante will be up against his former side for the second time this season and will be covering the players like Drinkwater and Jamie Vardy.
Furthermore, Chelsea are full of confidence after they recently outnumbered the Tigers, while Leicester could only manage a goalless draw against Southampton. Chelsea players have picked up a fine momentum, while Leicester’s campaign is somewhere going south as they are at 12th position right at this very moment.
A great footballing contest is expected and here is the predicted line-up for Chelsea:
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois-
The obvious candidate for the spot between the post. The Belgian is yet to hit his best and the games like these could solely help his cause. He has been making a lot of errors lately, and he will look to be on guard against the defending champions.
Defence: Azpilicueta; Terry; Luiz-
Considering the fact that Conte will be using a 3-4-3 formation, then this will be the best defensive line for the team. Azpilicueta was deployed on the same spot against the Tigers and was pretty tough. Truth to be told, the defenders were barely tested, but the scenario will be totally different this time around.
John Terry will be marking his return after missing number of games due to his injury and he might replace the most error-prone defender in the league, Gary Cahill. With that being said, David Luiz will be the third centre back for the side. Known for his ball playing skills, Luiz will have to guard his back-line like anything, as any mistake might turn into a horror show for the hosts.
Midfield Four: Moses; Fabregas; Kante; Alonso-
Both Moses and Alonso will most probably be starting the game on either flank and will be looking to exploit the gaps on the same. Both were equally dominant in the game against Hull City and were constantly troubling the defence. Alonso, in particular, was making regular forward runs and had his fair share of chances to score, but the former Fiorentina man failed to net any.
The midfield duo is a questionable one, but this could well do the trick for the Blues. Fabregas, when played against Leicester, put on a great show and completely dominated the game all by himself, and same could be the case this weekend. With him making some regular attacking runs, Kante will be sitting deep to guard the back three at times.
Attacking Trio: Pedro; Costa; Hazard-
According to the reports from Metro, Willian might miss this clash following the death of his mother. Furthermore, he has been granted compassionate leave as a result and will miss the game. In that case, Pedro might make his way in the lineup. The former Barcelona man hasn’t been that effective so far, but this could well be his game.
Diego Costa will be taking his mantle in the attack and will be looking to add more goals to his tally. With him playing centrally, Eden Hazard will be played on his usual spot and will be looking forward to give Danny Simpson a run for his money. The Belgian has been a victim of inconsistency so far this season, and the Chelsea fans will be elated to see him in top form again.
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