Jorginho is set to return to the starting lineup while Christian Pulisic will drop down to the bench when Chelsea lock horns with Manchester City on Saturday.
Chelsea will be hoping to continue their fabulous run of form on the road when they face Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday. And, Frank Lampard has had to deal with a couple of fresh injury concerns ahead of his side’s latest outing.
There are no troubles whatsoever at the back, however. Kepa Arrizabalaga is fit and available, with the Spaniard set to start in goal once again. Antonio Rudiger remains the only Chelsea defender who is sidelined, due to a groin injury.
The visitors’ backline, though, should see one change against Manchester City, with captain Cesar Azpilicueta replacing Reece James. Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori should partner up at the heart of the Chelsea defence once again, with Emerson Palmieri getting the nod over Marcos Alonso in the left-back slot.
Up ahead in midfield, Jorginho is set to start after serving a one-match ban last time out against Crystal Palace. Jorginho’s return could also signal a change in the formation, with Chelsea mirroring Manchester City’s 4-3-3, evening up the numbers in the middle of the park, something that Lampard also addressed during his pre-match press conference.
“I want it to be a positive issue because we also have [Mateo] Kovacic and many people in recent games have looked at him as one of our outstanding performers. We have Mason Mount, Ross Barkley and Ruben [Loftus-Cheek] coming back but in terms of people who are fit and playing regularly at the moment, it’s great for me.”
“Something I think we’ve done well as the season has gone on is have rotation and fluidity in our game in midfield and not pinning people down so they’re stuck in certain positions. I hope that can carry on and it can bring the best out of all the midfield players because all of them can apply different roles of a midfield player.”
Jorginho ought to have Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante as his partners in the three-man midfield. Tammy Abraham will lead the line for Chelsea, with Mason Mount likely to start in the front trio as well. The final spot in the side will be a toss-up between Willian and Christian Pulisic, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is sidelined with a hamstring complaint.
Pulisic, though, has only just returned from a hip injury and his recent fitness issues coupled with Willian’s higher work-rate could see the Brazilian pipping him for the final spot in the side.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Emerson; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Abraham, Mount
