Chelsea travel to the St. Mary’s Stadium on matchday 14 of the Premier League on Wednesday, December 4th, as they hope to win their third successive game in the league and strengthen their grip on a top four berth.
After convincingly seeing off Aston Villa in their last outing, Enzo Maresca will be optimistic about picking up all three points against the Saints. With that said, here is a look at the team’s possible line-up for the match.
Goalkeeper – Robert Sanchez kept his first clean sheet after seven Premier League matches against Aston Villa on Sunday. He might retain his place in between the sticks and look to add to that record against Southampton in Chelsea’s next match.
Defenders – Wesley Fofana picked up a hamstring injury last weekend and needed to be subbed off, so he could be replaced by Benoit Badiashile in the heart of the backline. The 23-year-old could partner with Levi Colwill.
Marc Cucurella is expected to retain his spot at left back, although a change could occur on the right side with Malo Gusto possibly replacing Moises Caicedo. That’s not to say that the South American will be benched, however, as he might return to his original position in midfield.
Lavia and Sancho could drop out
Midfielders – Moises Caicedo’s potential reintroduction in the team’s engine room might come at Romeo Lavia’s cost. The former Brighton midfielder could form a familiar double pivot with Enzo Fernandez also likely to start.
Cole Palmer is in superb form and may continue playing as the team’s attacking midfielder, whereas Pedro Neto could switch flanks and move from the right wing to left. The vacant position to on the right flank might belong to Noni Madueke, who was handed a rare rest against Aston Villa, which means Jadon Sancho could miss out from the offensive setup from the Villa game.
Forward – Nicolas Jackson is enjoying a decent run of form. The former Villarreal marksman has missed a fair share of opportunities but remains Enzo Maresca’s preferred option to lead the line, and that’s unlikely to change against Southampton either.
This is how the Blues may look on paper:
