Chelsea FC can secure a fourth straight victory across all competitions when they face Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday. Frank Lampard’s side have reacted strongly after the defeat to Liverpool last month and the manager will be hoping that the team can maintain the winning momentum before the international break.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Lineup:
Kepa Arrizabalaga has been the undisputed choice in goal for the league and European duties and he should feature between the sticks for the visit of St Mary’s. The defence combination should remain the same from last weekend with Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso in the full-back roles while Andreas Christensen partners Fikayo Tomori at the heart of the backline.
Lampard has the option to field Reece James in the starting XI but it is quite clear that Azpilicueta won’t be sacrificed from the lineup. Lampard has the option of playing a three-man backline similarly to the Lille game but he may revert to a more attacking formation.
In the midfield, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante are pretty much automatic choices meaning that Mateo Kovacic may have to settle for a bench role despite being one of the standout players this term. Kante has been deemed fit for the clash after going unscathed through the entire 90 minutes of the 2-1 Champions League win over Lille in midweek.
Willian and Mason Mount have been the regular partners in the attack over the past month and the former has recently proved his worth with key goals against Brighton and Lille. Alongside them, Callum Hudson-Odoi could be handed with his maiden start of the league season after bagging two assists and one goal in the past three appearances following his injury comeback.
Upfront, there are no question marks regarding Tammy Abraham’s inclusion. The marksman has netted eight goals across all competitions already and he was recently rewarded with a much-awaited call-up to the England national side.
Predicted Chelsea FC XI vs Southampton
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