The pressure is once again on Mauricio Pochettino and this Chelsea team to get a win on Saturday and this will once again become another big game for the club if they are to achieve European qualification at the highest level.
The Blues welcome Fulham to Stamford Bridge for the 12:30pm kick-off live on TNT Sports in the UK.
Chelsea are in a position in the league right now where they could easily head in either direction (up or down) after some results.
We are currently just three points off seventh place, but also just four points behind our rivals, Fulham, who are in 13th place. The top is much closer than the bottom at the moment, but the gap is still not there! It’s comfortable enough for my taste!
Current form
As stated, Fulham sit 13th in the league and will view this match as an opportunity to move just one point behind their close neighbors Chelsea.
This week they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the League Cup, but ended up losing 2-1.
Before that, Marco Silva’s team has had a crazy run of games and completely different results. They recently beat Arsenal 2-1, West Ham and Nottingham Forest 5-0 in two games in a row, but also lost 3-0 to Newcastle and Bournemouth, and lost 2-0 to Burnley.
I guess, like Chelsea now, it all depends on what Fulham find!
Chelsea’s form had improved once again before the Middlesbrough defeat, but it has been a case of a couple of steps forward and a couple back once again, as it has been all season.
In our last 5 games, we won 3 and lost 2. Before Boro, we won 3 in a row and I felt like some momentum was coming back. Sigh.
Head to head
The Cottagers’ victory over Chelsea in January last year is the only such victory since Luis Boa Morte scored the winning goal in April 2006.
Chelsea wins: 51
Fulham wins: 12
Draws: 27
Team News
Christopher Nkunku, Ben Chilwell, Benoit Badiashile and Carney Chukwuemeka once again have at least a chance of making the team. Nkunku will be reviewed this week, and I hear that Chilwell is actually the furthest ahead in terms of a place in the team from the other two mentioned. But everyone has a chance.
No other injured Chelsea players are expected to return for this match.
Chelsea are still without Nicolas Jackson due to their participation in the African Cup of Nations, a tournament that also features a trio of Fulham players: Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Fode Ballo-Toure.
Alignment prediction
It’s frustrating that Pochettino seems to have these same players who he really trusts and relies on heavily. However, I think he could make a small change at the back on Saturday. Again, this is not based on information or anything, just a feeling.
I think he could drop Levi Colwill, and then if Chilwell comes to the bench, a look to use him later in the game. More on that below.
My planned Xl:
I think he might drop Levi Colwill after a bad game last game, maybe to get him out of the line of fire if anything?
Then Malo Gusto and Alfie Gilchrist start at full-back, with perhaps Chilwell coming in later to replace one of them.
Unfortunately, I think the rest of the lineup will be pretty obvious. Enzo Fernández could be removed in favor of an additional attacker like Mykhailo Mudryk; I also see that happening.
Armando Broja returns as a presence at the top, although I’m not judging Cole Palmer as a false 9 in that game; I still believe he is a good option there.
Raheem Sterling should be firmly on the bench, but again I have a feeling he will persist with him. There’s a chance Mudryk will replace him, but let’s see.
Score prediction
Chelsea has a 58% chance of winning.
Match odds:
Chelsea: 6/10
Fulham: 4/1
Draw: 5/17
Forgive me for once again not having faith or any kind of trust in this game. I watched Fulham against Liverpool on Wednesday night and they will be a real threat, especially in attack. They have scored a lot of goals this season and Silva will attack them. They also have very good players.
My score prediction:
Chelsea 1 Fulham 2 I hate not rooting for my team to win, but I have to be as faithful as possible with these result predictions. I was thinking about a 2-2 or 3-3 draw but I don’t really see where our goals are coming from and honestly it’s hard to see Chelsea winning this one after witnessing our first 45 against Preston. and our full 90 minutes against Boro. I still have nightmares about Wolves’ performance too!
Conclusion
Chelsea NEED to win this one, without a doubt. And of course, as I say in every game, we CAN win any game we play. But I’m afraid I lack any kind of optimism with this team and this coach (no, I don’t want him fired, I want him to improve).
