Chelsea predicted lineup vs Crystal Palace - Premier League
By Tom Gott
Here we go again, one more attempt for Chelsea to break their abysmal slump.
Graham Potter's Chelsea play host to Crystal Palace on Sunday in a game which, perhaps embarrassingly for the Blues, is now a must-win, with the manager and a number of the players scrapping for their futures at Stamford Bridge.
Here's how Chelsea could set up.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Crystal Palace (3-5-2)
GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga - After flirting with a revival, Kepa has recently reminded fans why Edouard Mendy, who is out injured, was signed in the first place.
CB: Kalidou Koulibaly - Chelsea's struggles to play out from the back against Fulham should lead to minutes for the supremely two-footed Bashir Humphreys, but it's hard to see Koulibaly getting benched for him.
CB: Thiago Silva - Silva hasn't even been that good this season and yet he is still the only reason Chelsea aren't in a relegation fight.
CB: Benoit Badiashile - It's debut time for Badiashile, who has been in the stands for some of the worst defensive showings imaginable since his move to Chelsea. Time to show fans why you were signed.
RM: Cesar Azpilicueta - Somehow, Chelsea are yet to sign a new right-back, so it's 33-year-old Azpilicueta who'll be tasked with flying up and down the wing, all while Wilfried Zaha waits for him.
CM: Mateo Kovacic - With Denis Zakaria now out, Kovacic needs to be fully press-resistant to give Chelsea any hope of controlling the midfield battle.
CM: Carney Chukwuemeka - There can be no more excuses for Chukwuemeka to start on the bench. He's been the second-best midfielder behind Zakaria and is now clear in top spot.
CM: Mason Mount - Mount has been the least awful compared to Jorginho and Conor Gallagher, but that's not a resounding complement for the England star.
LM: Marc Cucurella - Young Lewis Hall has done a decent job in the first team but may head back to the bench in place of Cucurella.
ST: Kai Havertz - Datro Fofana is probably not yet ready to get thrown into the deep end but Havertz needs to step up if he wants to ensure the new signing doesn't take his place.
ST: Hakim Ziyech - Chelsea's best moments have come with a bit of fluidity in attack and it's for that reason that Potter could opt for Ziyech over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.