Chelsea vs. Wolves: James Injury Decision Rocks Team Selection—Latest Fitness Update & Predicted XI
Chelsea need to bounce back from their Carabao Cup setback as they travel to face struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at the bottom of the league.
Liam Rosenior looks to maintain his flawless Premier League record against the Old Gold, with Wolves in danger of being historically remembered as the division's poorest-ever side—they've managed only eight points from 24 matches this season.
Chelsea cruised to a comfortable 3–0 win in the earlier meeting under Enzo Maresca, and fans will anticipate a similar display this weekend, particularly following their lackluster showing in north London on Tuesday evening.
Match Snapshot
Match Snapshot
Team News
Team News
The knock that saw Jamie Gittens substituted during the West Ham United match has proven to be significant, with his hamstring injury potentially keeping him out for a substantial portion of the campaign. On the flanks, Chelsea may also be missing Pedro Neto, who was absent from Tuesday's 1–0 loss due to an injury concern.
Rosenior has confirmed that Neto and skipper Reece James will face late fitness assessments to determine their availability, while emphasizing that Cole Palmer and Estêvão are prepared for full 90-minute appearances.
Gittens' injury means he's now alongside Levi Colwill, Roméo Lavia, Dário Essugo and Tosin Adarabioyo in the treatment room.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Wolves (4-2-3-1)
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Wolves (4-2-3-1)
GK: Robert Sánchez—Backup Filip Jörgensen continues to have fitness issues, though Sánchez's position isn't genuinely threatened regardless.
RB: Malo Gusto—This likely isn't a fixture where Rosenior needs to gamble with James, giving Gusto, who performs significantly better in a four-man defense than a three, another opportunity to shine.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah—The English defender has shown remarkable reliability in Chelsea's backline, establishing himself as indispensable even when other options are available.
CB: Benoît Badiashile—Rosenior has grown fond of Badiashile, and it wouldn't shock anyone to see him restored to the first eleven. The left-footed center-back enhances Chelsea's possession-based approach effectively.
LB: Marc Cucurella—There's a significant quality gap between Cucurella and Jorrel Hato, who still appears uncertain in his west London surroundings. The Spanish defender had difficulties as a wing-back midweek but will return to a position where he ranks among the world's elite.
DM: Moisés Caicedo—Caicedo might find himself overwhelmed by Wolves' numerous Gomes players this weekend, considering their midfield roster depth.
DM: Enzo Fernández—With Chelsea anticipated to dominate possession, positioning Fernández in a deeper role to supply those operating centrally and wide makes tactical sense.
RW: Estêvão—The Brazilian hasn't yet achieved the consistency needed for elite-level discussions, but he's spectacular when performing at his peak. He could well steal the show this weekend, provided Rosenior doesn't deploy him on the left flank.
AM: Cole Palmer—A shortage of forward runners in this Chelsea squad has restricted Palmer, who's been managing a persistent injury throughout much of this season. Following his appearance in the final third of Tuesday's second leg, Rosenior has confirmed his readiness to start.
LW: Alejandro Garnacho—With Neto questionable and Gittens unavailable, Garnacho might keep his place in the Premier League starting eleven, despite his poor first-half display against West Ham.
ST: João Pedro—The Brazilian's impressive scoring streak ended during the week, but Pedro's link-up play against Arsenal's two solid center-backs was frequently excellent. Liam Delap needs to do more to earn Rosenior's consideration.