Chelsea get their FA Cup campaign underway on Saturday
Chelsea kickstart their participation in this season’s FA Cup on Saturday, January 11th, at 15:00 local time, as they host Morecambe at Stamford Bridge. The Blues, who are winless in their last four matches in the Premier League, have the chance to get back to winning ways against the lower league minnows in front of their home supporters, as well as get the fight underway to possibly win a domestic trophy by the end of the season.
With Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur facing severe injury worries, and Manchester United also underperforming, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side will be considered as a favourite to win the competition along with Manchester City and Liverpool. The Italian has the experience of managing in the cup competition already with Leicester City and will look to use his expertise in guiding the west Londoners to their first domestic triumph since 2018.
Team News
Chelsea
Chelsea have a number of players ruled out for the match this weekend. Benoit Badiashile, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana are set to miss the game, while doubts are also ongoing regarding Gabriel Slonina’s and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s availabilities. The latter suffered has only suffered a knock and should ideally make the squad, however, if not the starting eleven.
As with several other of their Premier League colleagues, Chelsea will also field a second string squad but there is likely to be a start for Reece James at right back. The captain has not enjoyed a consistent spell in the team due to injury problems but will hope that now is the time he sees the back of those. The offensive department will remained overpowered as the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu will be expected to start.
PREDICTED CHELSEA XI (4-4-2): Jorgensen; James, Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Veiga; Dewsbury-Hall, Chukwuemeka, Madueke, Felix; Nkunku, Guiu
Morecambe
Morecambe come into the game without any injury problems or suspension worries. The League Two side are winless in three of their last five matches in all competitions but beat Tranmere Rovers 2-0 in their last bout ahead of a visit to Stamford Bridge. As far as the FA Cup goes, this will be their third game in the competition having beaten Worthing and Bradford City in rounds one and two, respectively.
Chelsea and Morecambe have history from not very long ago as the two clubs faced each other in the FA Cup in 2020 when Frank Lampard was in the former’s dugout. Back then, the Blues emerged as comfortable 4-0 victors and that is very possibly going to be a scoreline we see on Saturday.
PREDICTED MORECAMBE XI (4-2-3-1): Burgoyne; Hendrie, Williams, Stott, Tutonda; White, Jones; Tollitt, Songo’o, Edwards; Dackers
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Prediction
Chelsea 6-0 Morecambe
Morecambe are one of the worst performing sides in League Two and will be far from a challenge for a very strong Chelsea side. Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu have made the most of their limited minutes so far in the campaign and will very possibly exploit their opposition very easily on Saturday.
