December 23rd 2024.
It's that time of the year again when the Premier League is in full swing and Chelsea is gearing up for their Boxing Day clash with Fulham. However, there is some concern surrounding the availability of young talent Romeo Lavia, who may not be able to feature in the game due to injury.
The Blues, who are currently chasing Liverpool for the top spot in the league, will be looking to close the gap between the two teams with a win against Fulham. The team's manager, Enzo Maresca, had hoped to secure a temporary lead in the standings during their match against Everton on Sunday, but unfortunately, they were only able to secure a 0-0 draw.
Despite this, Chelsea's unbeaten streak continues, now at an impressive 12 games across all competitions. With a quick turnaround before their next game on Thursday, Maresca may consider making some changes to the lineup, as he did earlier in the month for their match against Southampton.
However, facing a tough challenge against ninth-placed Fulham, Maresca may opt to stick with his first-choice starting lineup for the London derby. He will be relieved to have Marc Cucurella back in the team after his suspension, and the Spaniard is expected to take his place at left-back.
This could also allow Malo Gusto to return to his preferred position at right-back, with Axel Disasi potentially starting on the bench. In defense, Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill are likely to continue their partnership, especially with Benoit Badiashille and Wesley Fofana still nursing injuries.
Speaking of injuries, Fofana has been out of action since December due to a hamstring injury, while Badiashille picked up an unknown injury in training before last weekend's match. In midfield, Maresca has been without the services of Romeo Lavia, who has been missing since coming off at half-time during the game against Tottenham earlier this month.
Lavia was not included in the matchday squad against Everton, but he may be fit enough to make an appearance from the bench against Fulham. Joao Felix, who returned from his own injury, was an unused substitute in the last game and is unlikely to start ahead of Cole Palmer.
However, Maresca may consider making some changes to his attacking quartet, with Noni Madueke being a potential option to start after being benched in the last game in favor of Pedro Neto. On the injury front, Reece James is still out of action, and Mykhailo Mudryk is indefinitely suspended after failing a drug test.
Carney Chukwuemeka and Ben Chilwell are also expected to be absent from the matchday squad as they have fallen out of favor under Maresca. As for the predicted starting lineup, we can expect to see Sanchez in goal, with Gusto, Tosin, Colwill, and Cucurella in defense. Caicedo, Fernandez, Madueke, and Palmer could make up the midfield, while Sancho and Jackson are likely to lead the attack.
For those wondering where to catch all the action, the game will kick off at 3pm on Thursday, December 26, and will be broadcast on Amazon Prime in the United Kingdom.
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