In order to replace the injured Christopher Nkunku for Chelsea’s Premier League debut against Liverpool on Sunday, Mauricio Pochettino must make a difficult pick.
After tearing the meniscus in his knee, Nkunku underwent surgery and will be out for four months.
Pochettino wants to add an attacker to the team for the forthcoming encounter at Stamford Bridge but will have to explore within the squad due to the loss of his new £52 million signing from RB Leipzig.
With Raheem Sterling, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Nicolas Jackson playing in attack, Mykhailo Mudryk is perfectly suited to start on the left wing.
This week, Armando Broja joined the team for training as he gets closer to making his injury recovery. Although Benoit Badiashile is recovering from a serious hamstring injury, he probably won’t participate against Liverpool.
Noni Madueke, who had a tight hamstring throughout Chelsea’s preseason tour of the United States, is also questionable for injury and won’t be ready to start.
On the eve of the new season, Wesley Fofana may be sidelined for the entire campaign after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, leaving Pochettino with a lengthy injury list.
Despite Chelsea adding Robert Sanchez from Brighton as competition, Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to remain the No. 1 goalkeeper.
Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, and Ben Chilwell will play on the left of a back four, with Reece James, the new club captain, playing on the right. Conor Gallagher and Enzo Fernandez will likely play together in the middle.
Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech, and Callum Hudson-Odoi all practice separately from the first team at Cobham and will not participate in the game because they are still on the transfer list.
Chelsea predicted XI: Kepa, James, Thiago Silva, Colwill, Chilwell, Fernandez, Gallagher, Sterling, Chukwuemeka, Jackson, Mudryk
Injured: Nkunku, Chalobah, Fofana, Badiashile, Broja, Bettinelli
Doubt: Madueke
Suspended: None
Time and date: 4:30pm BST on Sunday August 13, 2023
Venue: Stamford Bridge
