Chelsea are going to clash heads with Southampton in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Sunday. Both teams will be looking to progress into the final where they will face off against the winner from the Manchester United versus Tottenham Hotspur clash.
The Blues have had a mediocre season under Antonio Conte so far and the FA Cup could prove to be their last opportunity of earning a silverware this term. They have struggled in the Premier League and their chances of clinching a top 4 finish remain very slim. Hence, all of their eggs are in the FA Cup basket so it is expected that Conte will name a strong squad for this contest.
The Saints, on the other end, looks set to be relegated from the English top-flight unless they manage to conjure up a run of positive results in the league. The FA Cup could turn out to be a welcome distraction for them as a victory against Conte’s Chelsea could give their players a big boost ahead of the final few games of the campaign.
Team News
Chelsea
Conte has recently revealed that he has no issues with Antonio Rudiger so he could play a part on Sunday. However, the Italian manager will be sweating on the availability of Marcos Alonso, as he runs the risk of being banned for his reckless tackle on Southampton striker Shane Long last weekend.
It is expected that Conte will be in with a dilemma of whether to start with Alvaro Morata or Olivier Giroud for this crucial encounter against the Saints. Giroud came off the bench to score a brace against Southampton in his last league outing and will be in contention to start on Sunday.
Southampton
The South-coast outfit will be without the services of Steven Davis and Jack Stephens for this FA Cup encounter. However, it is expected that Mark Hughes will name an unchanged side on Sunday.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea
Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill; Zappacosta, Fabregas, Kante, Alonso; Hazard, Willian, Morata
Southampton
McCarthy; Bednarek, Yoshida, Hoedt; Cedric, Romeu, Højbjerg, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Tadic; Long
Key Men
Chelsea
The performances of Eden Hazard and Willian will be integral if the Blues are to win this tie. The defensive trio of Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill will also play a key part for Chelsea in their backline.
Southampton
James Ward-Prowse and Dusan Tadic will be responsible to create chances for their teammates to feed on, in the opposition half. The Saints defensive trio of Jan Bednarek, Maya Yoshida and Wesley Hoedt will be tasked to keep the Blues attack at bay on Sunday.
Odds
Chelsea win: 4/9
Draw: 10/3
Southampton win: 6
