Chelsea journey to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace for Graham Potter’s first Premier League match in command of the Blues on Saturday afternoon.
Potter could have swapped the south coast for SW6 however the former Brighton supervisor will certainly carry a touch of additional enmity in the direction of the Seagulls’ rivals Palace. Throughout his time in Hove, Potter oversaw six A23 derbies however did not win a single one (D4 L2).
Here is the XI Potter could deploy to earn a maiden profession victory towards the Eagles.
GK: Edouard Mendy – The Senegalese shot-stopper has gone 5 Premier League matches with out a clear sheet for the primary time because the finish of 2021. Mendy has by no means made six consecutive appearances within the competitors with out a shutout.
CB: Wesley Fofana – The summer time arrival value simply £11m lower than Potter has spent on switch charges in his complete profession (per The I).
CB: Thiago Silva – Chelsea’s veteran Brazilian will grow to be the primary 38-year-old outfield participant to line up for the membership within the Premier League period on his subsequent look.
CB: Marc Cucurella – Whereas collectively at Brighton final season, Cucurella began each Premier League match obtainable beneath Potter.
RWB: Reece James – In his spare time, James has volunteered for the Felix Venture, delivering surplus meals that may in any other case be discarded to these in want.
CM: Mason Mount – Every of Chelsea‘s final two managers – Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel – used Mount greater than every other participant. The England worldwide now has to persuade Potter to observe go well with.
CM: Jorginho – “Ball mum! Ball mum! Ball mum!” was the nagging chant Jorginho pestered his mom with as a two-year-old. Maria Freitas duly took her son to Imbituba’s seashores the place she honed his revered method, calling upon her personal profession through which she collected 16 novice trophies.
CM: Mateo Kovacic – Given the shortage of Kovacic’s interviews, he has taken his father’s recommendation to coronary heart: “By no means discuss your self, let different individuals discuss you while you do your greatest.”
LWB: Raheem Sterling – In the course of the latest worldwide break, Sterling harassed his desire for a large function reasonably than continuously receiving the ball together with his again to objective. All of which means that Sterling’s preliminary outing at wingback beneath Potter could go well with his strengths regardless of his unfamiliarity with the place.
AM: Kai Havertz – Within the area of 20 second-half minutes on Monday evening, Havertz scored extra objectives on English soil for Germany (two) than he has for Chelsea this season (one).
ST: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – The previous Arsenal ahead’s solely Premier League purple card got here at Selhurst Park in January 2020.
