Chelsea are currently in sixth place and will need to gain at least one position in the Premier League table to secure a spot in the Champions League next season. Needless to say, the remaining matches will be of utmost importance for the Blues.
Chelsea are set to face Manchester City next at Stamford Bridge. Having won four of their last five games there, the Citizens will fancy their chances. Rosenior’s tactics will be put to the test against Pep Guardiola’s side, who are right back in the title race.
The Englishman is unlikely to change much from his team’s recent 7-0 victory against Port Vale in the FA Cup quarterfinals. Chelsea are expected to line up in their usual formation. Here is our predicted XI for the Blues for their match against Man City.
Defence
Robert Sanchez starts in goal ahead of Filip Jorgensen once again. It is an important match, and the manager wouldn’t want any changes there. That being said, the Spaniard is under some pressure after shaky performances.
Now, when it comes to the backline, Marc Cucurella, who was rested against Port Vale, is expected to make a return to the starting XI at left-back. Meanwhile, the right-back position remains unchanged, with Malo Gusto getting the nod as Reece James is out injured.
The heart of the defence at Chelsea has seen a new duo almost every other match. The manager is yet to find his go-to options. That said, for this matchup, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo look set to get the green light. It is worth noting that Trevoh Chalobah recently picked up an injury against Paris Saint-Germain and won’t be available for this matchup.
Midfield
Moises Caicedo, who was on the bench against Port Vale, will undoubtedly be included in the starting XI given the magnitude of the fixture. Alongside him, Andrey Santos is expected to be given the go-ahead as part of a double pivot in midfield.
Enzo Fernandez will seemingly miss this match as well after receiving a sanction from the club management and Rosenior following his recent comments.
As a result, Cole Palmer is set to start in the number 10 role against his former club. The English international hasn’t been at his best lately. But everyone knows his ability to deliver incredible performances in big matchups.
On the left flank, Pedro Neto will start ahead of Alejandro Garnacho in all likelihood. Whereas Estevao is potentially the go-to choice on the right flank.
Attack
Joao Pedro has cemented his place as the primary striker for Chelsea this season. He has started 87% of the Premier League matches for the Blues so far.
In this matchup as well, Rosenior is expected to trust the Brazilian to lead the attack. Pedro has already scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in the league this season. It remains to be seen if he can add to that tally on Sunday.
