Chelsea takes on Watford tonight in the Premier League, hoping to maintain their lead at the top. On Sunday, the Blues were forced to settle for a point against Manchester United.
After Jadon Sancho put United ahead, Jorginho netted a penalty to give Chelsea a share of the spoils. The Blues will now want to avoid dropping any more points when they go to Watford tonight.
Here is a close look at how Thomas Tuchel would line up his Chelsea team for tonight’s encounter.
Edouard Mendy was unlucky not to win the Goalkeeper of the Year accolade this week. He’ll keep his spot in the Chelsea lineup, and he’s shown to be a fantastic signing for the club.
It appears unlikely that anything will change at the back. Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva, and Antonio Rudiger are all expected to preserve their starting spots.
Reece James has been a key player this season, but he may not play tonight. Cesar Azpilicueta could be called up to take his spot at right wing-back. Due to Ben Chilwell’s injury, Marcos Alonso should get a chance to play.
Jorginho will also undergo a late fitness test, and if he fails, Saul Niguez could take his place in the starting lineup. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who played well against United, should preserve his spot.
Mason Mount could return tonight, providing Chelsea with a much-needed boost. Behind Christian Pulisic, who could start in attack, Kai Havertz will be his partner. Timo Werner is still struggling to be fully fit, and Romelu Lukaku could still be missing from Chelsea’s attack.
With all that in mind, here is Chelsea’s strongest starting XI for today’s game.