Frank Lampard could be set to play a weakened Chelsea side against Morecambe in the FA Cup
According to Football.london, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard could rest a number of his stars for the FA Cup third-round clash against Morecambe.
The Blues have been handed a favourable draw in the competition against the League Two side. While The Shrimps are recovering from a Covid outbreak, the match is still expected to go ahead on Sunday.
Lampard looks set to ring in the changes. This will give a few of his first-team stars a rest for the clash at Stamford Bridge.
The likes of Edouard Mendy, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell, and Mason Mount could all get a breather. Given that the pressure is still on the Blues to turn their poor form around, it is entirely possible that Lampard might opt for a strong bench.
Chelsea can make use of the match to give some much-desired game time to the young talents at their disposal. The likes of Tino Anjorin, Lewis Bate, Henry Lawrence, Tino Livramento, and Jude Soonsup-Bell have all been promoted to first-team training.
As per the new FA Cup rules, clubs are now able to name a maximum of nine substitutes. Of these, a maximum of five may be used. It may not be much of a surprise if a few of the aforementioned youngsters make the cut for the matchday squad.
No room for complacency
Coming off the back of a busy festive schedule, Lampard is right to rest some of his jaded stars. The match also presents him with the opportunity to bring in those who are struggling to find form.
Timo Werner has not scored in 12 matches while Kai Havertz has not started a Premier League game for a while. Youngster Billy Gilmour could also be recalled to the line-up come Sunday.
More Chelsea News
- Carlo Ancelotti urges Chelsea to give Frank Lampard time to turn things around
- Gabriel Marcotti backs Chelsea to fire Frank Lampard if top four is not achieved
- Chelsea boss Frank Lampard keen to prevent Fikayo Tomori from leaving on loan
While the fixture does afford Lampard some leeway to rotate his squad, it is entirely possible that he will still name a strong XI.
Given the pressure on him, it would be prudent to finish off the game early and then rest his players in the second half. After all, miracles in the FA Cup are dime a dozen. The Blues boss does not have the luxury of taking his job for granted.