Mudryk in, Silva back, Chalobah dilemma – Chelsea’s anticipated lineup against Leeds United
Chelsea will be eager to bounce back on Wednesday night as they host Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup fifth round. Just over 72 hours following their defeat in the Carabao Cup final, the Blues find themselves competing in a different tournament.
Leeds, currently in excellent form in the Championship, will be aiming to cause an upset in SW6. Mauricio Pochettino appeared visibly emotional during his pre-match press conference, yet the Argentine expressed satisfaction with his squad’s response following the loss to Liverpool on Sunday.
Pochettino will expect his players to demonstrate that resilience on the field against Leeds on Wednesday. This match holds significant importance not only for that reason but also because the FA Cup represents Chelsea’s final viable opportunity to secure silverware in Pochettino’s inaugural season.
However, given the extensive playing time endured at Wembley over 120 minutes during the weekend, Pochettino might be inclined to make some changes to his lineup at Stamford Bridge, especially considering Chelsea’s upcoming fixture against Brentford on Saturday afternoon. With that in mind, Bobby Vincent attempts to forecast the makeshift team Pochettino will deploy against Leeds.
Sanchez has been absent from Chelsea’s lineup since exiting the defeat to Everton on December 10 due to injury. In his absence, Djordje Petrovic has filled in admirably; however, Sanchez may earn a starting berth in the FA Cup fifth round.
Gilchrist has been granted two starts this season, both in the FA Cup. Malo Gusto, who played over 120 minutes against Liverpool, might be due for a well-deserved rest against Leeds.
Silva has been sidelined since sustaining a groin injury against Crystal Palace earlier this month. Although he failed a late fitness assessment for the Carabao Cup final, he may return to the side for Chelsea’s cup encounter with Leeds.
Chalobah has only featured twice for Chelsea this season due to injury. The 24-year-old, who made a substitute appearance at Wembley over the weekend, might secure his first start under Pochettino on Wednesday.
Colwill has recently been deployed as a center-back but could once again be shifted to the left-hand side on Wednesday. Ben Chilwell played a significant portion of Chelsea’s loss to Liverpool, and his fitness must be carefully managed.
