Chelsea Without Any Right-Backs As They Face Bournemouth

Chelsea face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in their first Premier League game after the two-week international break.  

The Blues will be without Malo Gusto and Reece James due to injuries. Enzo Maresca has preferred to use Axel Disasi as his third choice right back however fans have suggested for the inclusion of Josh Acheampong. The 18-year-old has only played five minutes for the senior team in the Premier League, however, his skillsets are more suitable for fullback than Disasi, who has previously struggled on the right for Chelsea.  

The Cherry’s will also have a couple of absentees' from Saturdays' game, with Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga ineligible to face his parent club and Dango Ouattara is injured.

Andoni Iraola’s side are unbeaten in the league, drawing two and winning spectacularly against Everton, as they came back from a 2 goal deficit to win the game 3-2 late on. There form shows that Bournemouth will be a tough side to face that Chelsea cannot afford to underestimate.  

Maresca’s team has had a turbulent start to the season with varying results. As usual for Chelsea, drama on and off the pitch made the Blues a frequent name in the media. Despite this, performances away at Wolves and at home against Crystal Palace have given supporters reasons to be positive for the upcoming season.  

Chelsea will most likely continue playing a 4-2-3-1 with a fullback inverting into the midfield. With the absentees at right-back, Marc Cucurella will have the responsibility of moving into the midfield. Robert Sanchez should start in goal, the Spaniard has been prioritised over Filip Jorgensen despite looking shaky this season.  

Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana will start ahead of Sanchez as they hope to build on the partnership they established at the start of the season. Romeo Lavia is unlikely to start tomorrow night due to continued injuries, therefore Enzo Fernandez will be likely to start alongside Moises Caicedo in the midfield with Cole Palmer ahead of them.  

The Blues signed Jadon Sancho from Manchester Utd on deadline day however the 24 year-old will likely make his debut from the bench with Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto starting ahead of him. Nicolas Jackson will also lead the line for Chelsea after scoring for the Blues in his last appearance. 

This early in the season a win for Chelsea would not make much of a difference in the table but building momentum is exactly what Maresca needs to build confidence in fans.  

Chelsea: Sanchez, Cucurella, Colwill, Fofana, Disasi, Caicedo, Enzo (C), Palmer, Madueke, Neto, Jackson.

Bournemouth: Travers, Araujo, Senesi, Zabarnyi, Kerkez, Christie, Cook (C), Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier, Evanilson.