Chelsea open the month trying to flip round their fortunes within the Premier League after they host West Ham United at Stamford Bridge.
The honeymoon interval of the Enzo Maresca tenure is over. Chelsea had been second within the Premier League going into Christmas, enjoying among the finest soccer in England and even being talked about as potential title challengers. Nevertheless, that notion rapidly disappeared, because the Blues have received simply one in every of their final seven league video games, falling out of the Champions League locations altogether after one in every of their worst performances of the season within the 1-3 defeat to Manchester Metropolis.
Regardless of the drop in kind, Chelsea have a golden alternative in entrance of them. Newcastle United, Bournemouth, Manchester Metropolis and Aston Villa all misplaced over the weekend, that means a win would elevate Chelsea again to fourth, opening a small hole with their nearest chasers.
Graham Potter will make his return to Stamford Bridge and shall be welcomed by a facet that is nonetheless with out Wesley Fofana, Benoît Badiashile and Romeo Lavia. Regardless of the latest struggles, Maresca has caught with a reasonably comparable lineup these days with the development prone to proceed.
Here is how Chelsea may lineup in a London derby vs. West Ham United.
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GK: Filip Jörgensen—Robert Sánchez has had a nightmare begin to 2025 and will see his primary position taken away from him by Jörgensen.
RB: Reece James—Chelsea’s captain has been a brilliant spot in latest video games.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah—Chalobah will look to duplicate his efficiency vs. Wolves when he was re-introduced to the Stamford Bridge trustworthy.
CB: Levi Colwill—Colwill will accomplice Chalobah in the midst of protection.
LB: Marc Cucurella—The Spain worldwide has been strong all season and has discovered the again of the online thrice prior to now two months.
CM: Moisés Caicedo—Caicedo has regarded barely exhausted in latest video games however his presence is important for Maresca’s system.
CM: Enzo Fernández—Though he is not scoring or aiding each recreation, Fernández has nonetheless been one in every of Chelsea’s principal creators off late.
RW: Pedro Neto—Neto will get an opportunity to start out over Noni Madueke.
AM: Cole Palmer—Palmer had a irritating night time in opposition to his former crew and can look to get again on observe.
LW: Jadon Sancho—Sancho will look to bag his second Chelsea help in as many video games vs. West Ham.
ST: Nicolas Jackson—Jackson goals to finish a seven recreation scoring drought within the Premier League.