Antonio Conte should hand some of his fringe players an opportunity to impress in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Conte’s side, who have already beaten the Cherries once this season, have looked strong at Stamford Bridge, having won 5 of their last 6 matches there in all competitions, with the club’s last win coming at the weekend against Southampton in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth are without a win in six and are unlikely to cause the Blues many issues, given their lacklustre form in front of goal.
Chelsea are again without David Luiz, who is continuing to recover from a serious knee injury, while Alvaro Morata is not quite at full fitness following a back complaint.
Marcos Alonso is unavailable for selection through suspension after he picked up his fifth domestic booking of the season in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Southampton on Saturday.
Thibaut Courtois is Chelsea’s No.1 goalkeeper but Willy Caballero should be provided with a chance on Wednesday.
The German has not quite settled in well at Stamford Bridge. He needs to find some consistency sooner than later.
The youngster has not done too much wrong this season and is expected to start at the heart of the defence for Chelsea.
The skipper has had a mixed campaign so far but his experience will be required on Wednesday evening to keep the Bournemouth attackers at bay.
After a bright start to life in England, he has struggled lately. With Moses now fit and running, Zappacosta has to find his form back in order to be in Conte’s first-team plans.
The out-of-favour Brazilian should be given a rare start on the left flank. With Alonso suspended, Kenedy will have to make use of this opportunity in order to have a future at Stamford Bridge.
The Welshman will be tasked to add steel to the side and link-up play from the heart of the midfield. Ampadu’s contribution will be vital.
Drinkwater has struggled with injuries since signing from Leicester City in the summer. He would be hoping to make a mark against the depleted Cherries.
The Belgian has a big task cut out to unsettle the visitors’ defence. He is expected to start on the right-hand side and with his pace and direct running, he can cause Eddie Howe’s men a number of problems.
The Spanish winger is hungry to start the game and his movement must be handled carefully by the Bournemouth players. Pedro loves to find pockets of spaces to exploit.
With Morata still not 100% percent fit, leading the attack should be Batshuayi. The Belgian has failed to gain the trust of his manager, but if given a start tomorrow, he will be a constant threat to the Cherries’ fragile defensive line due to his aerial presence.
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