Chelsea Stars Battle for Rosenior's Approval in Crucial Fulham Showdown
Chelsea's squad will showcase their abilities before new head coach Liam Rosenior as they face cross-town adversaries Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The 41-year-old has been appointed as Enzo Maresca's replacement on a five-and-a-half-year deal, though he'll observe from the sidelines on Wednesday evening while U-21s manager Calum McFarlane leads the team for his second and final match.
Rosenior, who has moved from Strasbourg to Chelsea, takes over a squad that has secured only two Premier League victories since the November international window. The positive aspect is that the erratic form of their table competitors means they remain in a strong position to secure Champions League qualification.
McFarlane is expected to maintain a conservative approach to his team selection—he guided a resilient 1–1 stalemate against title challengers Manchester City on Sunday.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Fulham (4-2-3-1)
GK: Filip Jörgensen—Robert Sánchez was absent from the weekend stalemate at the Etihad Stadium due to a minor muscular problem and Jörgensen will replace the Spaniard once more if he remains unavailable.
RB: Reece James—The comeback of Moisés Caicedo in the middle of the park will enable James to resume his right-back duties as Chelsea manage injuries throughout their defensive line. He delivered another outstanding performance against Man City at the weekend.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah—Chalobah has been a consistent presence in Chelsea's defense due to his excellent form and reliability, with the English defender enjoying an outstanding campaign in place of long-term injury victim Levi Colwill.
CB: Benoît Badiashile—Wesley Fofana was absent from the Man City match due to illness and the quick fixture turnaround means his participation at Fulham remains uncertain. Should he be unavailable, Badiashile will step in once more.
LB: Malo Gusto—Marc Cucurella has been absent for the last two fixtures and remains a fitness concern for the journey to Craven Cottage. Jorrel Hato has returned to availability as a potential option, though Gusto may be favored.
DM: Moisés Caicedo—The Ecuadorian was sidelined through suspension for the Etihad visit but will return for the midweek encounter. Chelsea notably struggle without their midfield anchor when he's unavailable.
DM: Enzo Fernández—The late match-saver in Manchester, Fernández has now found the net in consecutive games after going over a month goalless before his strike in the Bournemouth draw.
AM: Cole Palmer—Palmer continues working to regain his rhythm following an injury-affected campaign start, but Rosenior's arrival might reignite his form. He's seeking his maiden goal at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.
RW: Estêvão—Disappointing performances from Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens have prompted a tactical adjustment in attack, with Estêvão occupying the right flank. Despite struggling against City, he was excellent versus Bournemouth.
LW: Pedro Neto—Neto missed several excellent opportunities against Man City but remains the most secure starter among Chelsea's wing options due to his blistering pace and creativity in attacking areas.
ST: João Pedro—Pedro found the net in the reverse meeting that Chelsea contentiously won 2–0 and will be keen to score again. He's netted twice in his previous four appearances and should trouble a vulnerable Fulham backline.
