Chelsea’s Premier League campaign has been on pause this month – the January international break and the Blues’ involvement in the FA Cup and Club World Cup the reasons why.
But the top flight finally takes priority once again as the Blues made the relatively short trip to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace this afternoon.
They will do so without Ben Chilwell (knee), Reece James (hamstring) and Mason Mount (ankle). Cesar Azpilicueta (knock) and Timo Werner (illness) are also doubts for the fixture but Thomas Tuchel’s side heavy remain favourites to come away with three points.
The campaign has been a mixed bag for Palace. Strong early-season performances have given way to underwhelming form; the Eagles have won just two of their previous ten Premier League fixtures.
However, Chelsea will need to be at their best to overcome Patrick Vieira’s side. There can’t be one eye on Tuesday’s Champions League Round of 16 clash against Lille. Full focus is required.
The side Tuchel picks will be a strong one and his players should be confident having clinched the Club World Cup last weekend with a victory over Palmeiras.
In goal should remain Edouard Mendy. The 29-year-old reclaimed his place in the starting XI for the Club World Cup final and remains Chelsea’s number one goalkeeper after his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, which he won with Senegal.
Tuchel has a call to make as to whether he goes with a back four or a back three, but with Azpilicueta’s fitness a doubt, it’s likely the German goes with the latter.
That would mean Trevoh Chalobah returns on the right of the back three – the 22-year-old scored against Palace on his Premier League debut at the start of the campaign – with Andreas Christensen moving into the middle of the defence in place of Thiago Silva, who should be rested.
Antonio Rudiger can then take up his customary position on the left of the back three and maintain his excellent form this season amid uncertainty over his future.
There is always much debate as to who should start in the wing-back roles but Callum Hudson-Odoi should start on the right, he impressed in the role at Selhurst Park last season, while Marcos Alonso is the only choice on the left flank.
Jorginho, after sitting out the Club World Cup final, should return in centre midfield and be partnered by Mateo Kovacic. N’Golo Kante, much like Silva, should sit this game out if possible.
Romelu Lukaku will almost certainly spearhead the attack once more and Tuchel spoke ahead of the contest about the Belgian not yet living up to expectation in terms of his goal output at Chelsea.
“We need a bit more patience than we maybe all have or wanted to have with his signing,” the Chelsea head coach explained. “We demand a lot of our strikers in terms of intensity, so there are several reasons why things are maybe like this, but we are on it.
“There are teams who heavily rely on one goalscorer – that is no secret – but there are teams, like Manchester City, who don’t heavily rely on one person and have it on more shoulders.
“So both ways work and we want to bring Romelu to better situations, we want to create more situations, we want to understand him better and his teammates want to understand him better.
“It’s an ongoing process. We still have trust because he has proved at any club he has played for he is the guy who gets the last touch on attacks – he had a very important goal in the Club World Cup final.