Pedro Forces Rosenior's Hand as Chelsea Face West Ham—Injury Updates and Predicted Starting XI
Chelsea will be buoyed by their victory in Naples as they prepare for Premier League action against London neighbors West Ham United.
The Blues, inspired by João Pedro, defeated Napoli 3–2 in their final Champions League group stage match to secure direct qualification to the round of 16, marking Liam Rosenior's fifth win in six matches.
Rosenior has claimed victory in both Premier League fixtures so far, defeating London clubs Brentford and Crystal Palace, and will look to complete a trio of local wins against West Ham.
Match Snapshot
Match Snapshot
Team News
Team News
Cole Palmer returned to action against Napoli after sitting out matches against Pafos and Palace, with the English midfielder potentially earning a starting role for the Hammers' visit.
Nevertheless, Rosenior will be missing key defenders and midfielders for this fixture. Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo are unavailable at center-back, while Dário Essugo and Roméo Lavia are sidelined in midfield.
Mykhailo Mudryk, in case you forgot, remains suspended.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. West Ham (4-2-3-1)
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. West Ham (4-2-3-1)
GK: Robert Sánchez—Filip Jörgensen returned to the substitutes' bench against Napoli after recovering from injury, but Sánchez remains Rosenior's preferred goalkeeper.
RB: Reece James—It remains uncertain whether Rosenior will risk starting James for a third consecutive match given the defender's ongoing fitness concerns. Malo Gusto stands ready as an alternative.
CB: Wesley Fofana—Despite a disappointing performance in Naples, the French defender should keep his place with injuries to Colwill and Adarabioyo restricting Rosenior's defensive choices.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah—Chalobah came off the bench against Napoli and should benefit from that brief rest when facing a rejuvenated West Ham team that has rediscovered their scoring touch.
LB: Marc Cucurella—Cucurella will face his biggest challenge on Saturday as he attempts to contain Jarrod Bowen, one of the few reliable performers for the Hammers this season.
CM: Moisés Caicedo—Caicedo faces a difficult task in neutralizing Mateus Fernandes around the box. The West Ham midfielder delivered an outstanding performance in last weekend's victory over Sunderland.
CM: Enzo Fernández—Consecutive penalty goals have restored Fernández's scoring form, but the Argentine is expected to play a more defensive role against West Ham.
RW: Pedro Neto—Neto found the net in the reverse meeting in August when Chelsea secured a commanding 5–1 victory at London Stadium, and the Portuguese winger is likely to trouble the Irons again with his pace and determination.
AM: Cole Palmer—Palmer's playing time requires careful management, but his two assists off the bench in Italy demonstrate his importance to Chelsea. The Blues urgently need the English talent to remain healthy after an injury-plagued season that has restricted him to only 15 total appearances.
LW: Alejandro Garnacho—Garnacho delivers inconsistent performances but possesses the ability to exploit a shaky West Ham defense that hasn't kept a clean sheet since August.
ST: João Pedro—Pedro impressed in midweek with his match-winning double and now boasts four goals under Rosenior. The urge to introduce Liam Delap to give the Brazilian a break will likely be resisted.