Chelsea host Leicester City in a rearranged Premier League encounter at Stamford Bridge.
Victory would see Chelsea secure third in the table, after having wrapped up Champions League qualification following Arsenal’s loss at Newcastle on Monday.
Leicester meanwhile can go eighth with a win as they look to finish the season as the highest-placed non European qualified team.
Team News
Mateo Kovacic is a major doubt for Chelsea after he suffered an ankle injury in the Blues’ FA Cup Final defeat to Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
Andreas Christiansen (illness) and Kai Havertz (fitness) are doubts but Timo Werner (hamstring) is ruled out alongside Ben Chilwell (knee), although Chilwell is back in team training but won’t be risked by manager – Thomas Tuchel until next season.
Leicester could be without Youri Tielemans after the Belgian midfielder suffered a minor knee injury in Sunday’s comeback win at Watford.
Nampalys Mendy (illness) and Ricardo Pereira (thigh) are doubts but Ryan Bertrand, Wilfred Ndidi (both knee) and Hamza Choudhury (groin) are ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Chelsea have lost just one of their last six league meetings against Leicester (W2, D3, L1).
- Leicester have claimed five points from their last five visits to Stamford Bridge (W1, D2, L2)
- Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger has scored in each of his last two appearances against Leicester (W2).
- Mason Mount has been involved in more league goals this season than any other Chelsea player (21), having delivered 11 goals and 10 assists in 31 league appearances.
- No Leicester player has scored more league goals outside of the penalty spot this season than Jamie Vardy, with the Englishman having netted 14 goals in 23 appearances.
Prediction
Despite suffering the embarrassment of three consecutive FA Cup Final defeats, Chelsea will be relieved to return to league action with Champions League qualification already assured even if questions surrounding their fitness will be asked after a physical 120 minute contest at the weekend.
Thomas Tuchel though will surely be concerned about how sluggish his team looked in the opening 15 minutes at Wembley, although they did eventually proceed at various stages so their priority surely has to be to try and keep it tight in the opening minutes without conceding.
Leicester’s set-piece woes though continue to be their biggest concern which Chelsea should look to exploit when chances fall their way, although Brendan Rogers’ Foxes showed great spirit to come back and thrash Watford on Sunday by ruthlessly punishing exposed defending.
Exposed defending though is unlikely to regularly occur here though so Leicester will need to be patient and clinical in their attacks, although opportunities will surely arise the longer it stays goalless and physically draining for Chelsea who really need to take their chances in the opening hour.
Away form though has been Leicester’s Achilles heel this season but with the potential of a fatigued Chelsea especially in the closing stages, the Foxes just have to take their chances and hope for at least a point which might be just what their hosts are also thinking.
Prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Leicester
Leave a Reply