Premier League giants Chelsea will be looking to get back to winning ways in the league when they travel to Turf Moor this weekend. The Blues are coming into this tie on the back of a convincing 4-0 victory against Krasnodar in the Champions League, where despite not playing overly well for large parts, they came out emphatic winners. Although the result certainly flattered Chelsea that evening, Lampard will take pride in the fact that they managed to keep yet another clean sheet.
Chelsea’s defensive concerns have been no secret, but it seems like the recruitment of Edouard Mendy as the first-choice goalkeeper has gone a long way towards fixing that. The Blues have kept three consecutive clean sheets now, and that alone is something that the London club’s stacked back-line should be proud about. Despite their decent run, Chelsea’s league position is still a highly questionable one, which means that nothing short of victory will be acceptable for the Stamford Bridge faithful on the weekend.
Team News
Frank Lampard doesn’t have too many injury concerns to be worried about at this point, with the manager even clarifying prior to their midweek fixture that Thiago Silva’s omission from the squad was only to protect him. This then means that the Brazilian veteran is available for selection on the weekend. Hakim Ziyech made his full debut for Chelsea on Wednesday, meaning that he could be ready to start as well. The only assured absences will be Kepa Arrizabalaga and Billy Gilmour, as the duo continues down the road to recovery.
Here Is The Predicted 4-2-3-1 Chelsea Lineup Vs Burnley:
Predicted 4-2-3-1 Chelsea Lineup Vs Burnley
Defence
With Kepa now seemingly out of the first-team picture, at least for the time being, Edouard Mendy is likely to retain his place in between the sticks for the near future. Despite all the questions that were asked, it’s safe to say that the Senegal international has lived up to expectations so far. In front of him, expect to see Thiago Silva starting alongside Kurt Zouma in the heart of the defence. Ben Chilwell is likely to continue in the left-back role, with Reece James expected to come in on the other flank.
Midfield
Although Mateo Kovacic showed himself in an excellent light in the midweek tie, Lampard is likely to drop him down to the bench once again on the weekend. French World Cup winner N’Golo Kante is the man who should replace him, as the manager aims to add defensive stability. Italian international Jorginho missed a penalty in the midweek game against Krasnodar, but that takes nothing away from the quality he brings in midfield. Expect the former Napoli man to continue in the Chelsea engine room.
Attack
Having started and scored in their most recent outing, Moroccan trickster Hakim Ziyech is likely to make his full Premier League debut in this fixture against the Clarets. It will take time for him to gel with the rest of the attackers, and time on the pitch is surely going to be the quickest way to achieving that. Christian Pulisic could also return to the eleven over in the other side, with Kai Havertz taking up the number ten role in between them. Timo Werner is expected to continue operating as the main striker for Lampard’s side.
