Chelsea will be without all but two of their new summer arrivals, with Timo Werner back fit and Kai Havertz raring to go against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
There has been a lot of speculation surrounding Chelsea and Frank Lampard’s ability to fuse the new signings with the current squad. The Blues have started well but will be put to the test against Liverpool on Sunday, especially with many of their new arrivals yet to be fit enough to be in contention to feature.
Frank Lampard showed confidence in Kepa Arrizabalaga and highlighted that the Spaniard will be here for now in the post-match conference after their win over Brighton & Hove Albion. Kepa should start in goal and will ideally have the central defensive pairing of Andreas Christensen and Kurt Zouma for now, with Antonio Rudiger likely to settle for a place on the bench.
Thiago Silva is yet to regain fitness but Lampard highlighted the importance of Silva’s influence in the dressing room during the pre-match conference.
“Thiago has been training with us for the last three or four days. We are just working with him on his fitness at the moment, so Liverpool will come too soon for him. By presence, by attitude in training, by the quality of the player he commands respect. I look forward to having him around. He already seems very engaging and intent on helping the team, and that’s all you can ask for as a coach.”
The flanks are likely to be guarded by Reece James and Marcos Alonso, at least until Ben Chilwell is fit enough to take the Spaniard’s place on the left side. Up ahead in midfield, we should see N’Golo Kante and Jorginho in the double pivot.
Frank Lampard should go for the 4-2-2-2 again, with Mason Mount and Kai Havertz both acting as attacking midfielders. But, the German international will likely shift out wide and leave the central space to Mount.
Timo Werner is back fit again, which would be music to the ears of Chelsea fans ahead of the big game against Liverpool. The German should start upfront, but is likely to accompanied in this case by Olivier Giroud, who should act more like a trequartista, trying to support and enable Werner.
Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi are three Chelsea academy graduates who will hope to have some sort of impact coming off the bench.
Predicted Chelsea Starting XI: Kepa; James, Christensen, Zouma, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho; Havertz, Mount; Werner, Giroud
The lineup against this team is not encouragement