Previews

Chelsea head to Sunderland, the last side to beat them in the Premier League, looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season. A 2-1 defeat to the Black Cats in April shattered Chelsea’s title chances, and ended Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten home league record.

The meetings with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light proved crucial too, with the Blues winning 4-3 in the league and losing 2-1 after extra time in the Capital One Cup, despite leading for most of the game. After those two results, Mourinho decided to adopt a more defensive approach, which got his side back in the title race.

This weekend’s game is just as crucial, with second facing third on Sunday, when Manchester City travel to Southampton. At least one of those sides are going to drop points, meaning a win here could further enhance the advantage the league leaders hold. This also kicks off an important week for Chelsea, with three games in the next seven days, including two trips up to the North East.

After the trip to Sunderland, the Blues return home for a game against rivals London Tottenham, before they are off up north again to face Newcastle at St James’ Park. With three games in such a short space of time, including some pretty big journeys, we might be seeing a little squad rotation over the next week.

If there is some rotation, it’ll probably come later in the week. Mourinho is likely to keep faith with much of the side that started against Schalke and which put on such an impressive performance. Diego Costa limped off during that game, but the manager said he expects the Spaniard to be fit again for the weekend’s match.

The midfield five is unlikely to change, with Willian on the right the only one not guaranteed a start. Given his fantastic performance on Wednesday night, it’s hard to see Mourinho dropping him for an out-of-form Andre Schurrle. Eden Hazard, Oscar, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas should all keep their places for this one.

Chelsea have changed their regular back line just once this season, so expect to see the similar faces of John Terry, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic and Cesar Azpilicueta start ahead of Thibaut Courtois. We could see the likes of Filipe Luis come in for either of the full backs over the next week, but Azpilicueta is likely to start here.

As for Sunderland, they’re likely to be without former Chelsea man Patrick Van Aanholt and ex-Juventus midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini. The Black Cats are 14th in the table, just three points above the drop zone, and they’ve drawn over half their league games so far. This game is another test of how the Blues cope against sides who defend deep, while it kicks off the start of a crazy month, with 10 games coming between this and New Year’s Day. While the squad should be used to playing twice a week, it will be interesting to see how they cope with that many games.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

Chelsea face a crunch Champions League tie against their former manager Roberto Di Matteo on Tuesday night. The Blues know a result in Germany will see them qualify as group winners, but they face a difficult task against a Schalke side who are scrapping for their lives in this competition.

Schalke are just a point ahead of Sporting, who face Maribor at home. They know their chances of progressing rest on getting a result against Chelsea, with Sporting likely to get a win. The Pensioners could have all but wrapped up their place in the next round in the last game against Maribor, but they could only get a point. That puts a lot of pressure on this game, as a defeat could leave them level on points with Schalke.

This group is very tight right now, and Jose Mourinho is likely to approach this one cautiously. The Blues may have won 3-0 here last season, but they’ll not be coming here looking to attack and play on the front foot. The away team will likely switch to a 4-5-1 formation.

Thibaut Courtois will keep his place in goal, while Mourinho will probably keep with the back four that kept a clean sheet against West Brom in their last game. Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill and John Terry are all almost certain to start, while Cesar Azpilicueta should shade it ahead of Filipe Luis on recent form.

In midfield we’re likely to see Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas keep their places, and be joined by Ramires in the middle. This gives the Chelsea back four more protection from their midfield, with Ramires and Matic sitting just in front of the defence. This is a tactic that we’ve seen Mourinho adopt in most big games, including the win at Liverpool in the Blues’ last away game.

Eden Hazard will keep his place on the left wing, while we could see Oscar move out on to the right. The Brazilian is in such good form he’s hard to drop, but it’s unlikely that Chelsea will play with an attacking midfielder in Germany. Both Willian and Andre Schurrle have been tested out on that right hand side this season, but Mourinho doesn’t seem to favour either one. Given Oscar’s recent performances and his work rate, he could be a good option out there.

Up front Chelsea should have Diego Costa available. The Spaniard missed his adopted country’s recent games, so with a two week break between the game at Liverpool and the weekend win over West Brom, he should be fit to start this week. Costa was missed in the draw at home to Schalke, and the Premier League leaders will certainly need him in Germany. Samuel Eto’o and Fernando Torres each bagged a brace against Schalke last year, and Mourinho will be hoping for similar from Costa this week.

LCN Verdict: 1-1 draw

The Blues return from the international break with a chance to go seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Chelsea host West Brom on Saturday, with second placed Southampton not in action until Monday. But, in order to stretch their gap they’ll need to beat a West Brom side against whom they’ve struggled in recent times.

The Pensioners have taken just five points out of a possible 15 against West Brom in the last few meetings, winning just one of their last five. West Brom almost won this fixture last season, until a very dubious Eden Hazard penalty secured a 2-2 draw for Chelsea and kept Jose Mourinho’s unbeaten home record as Blues boss alive for a little longer. Given those performances, Chelsea will need to do a lot better this weekend if they’re to get their 10th win of the season.

Mourinho’s men will have many of their top players jetting back in from international duty, which could help West Brom here. The majority of the Chelsea side were in international action, and could come back slightly jaded. Despite that, the Blues currently have no injury problems, so they’ll have plenty of options for Saturday.

Thibaut Courtois should continue in goal, with the usual back four of Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta ahead of him. John Terry spent the break on holiday in Dubai, so he should be particularly well rested for this one.

In midfield, the first choice pairing of Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic should start. Fabregas picked up an injury before the break which kept him out of the Spain squad, much to Mourinho’s delight, but he should be back in time for the West Brom game. Mourinho recently called Matic the team’s best player, which is high praise given the quality in the Chelsea squad.

Eden Hazard and Oscar should start in midfield, with Andre Schurrle likely to play wide on the right. Willian is another option there, but he’ll likely play in the Champions League next week instead. Other than him, it’s hard to see Mourinho resting anyone else, as he’ll be looking for more league points to maintain their impressive start.

Diego Costa also missed out on the Spain squad, with the player not selected by boss Vincente Del Bosque. Mourinho claimed to have no knowledge of why he was left out, but it’s likely his comments about the strikers’ injuries stemming from international duty played a part. After two weeks of training with the Blues, Costa should be fit enough to start here and in Schalke next week, and Costa would have certainly made a difference in that West Brom game last season.

Mourinho will be glad to have his first choice team available, and he’ll be looking to maintain that as the Blues approach the demanding Christmas period. First things first, he’ll be looking for three points against West Brom.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-1

The Blues head to Anfield on Saturday lunchtime looking to repeat the fantastic 2-0 win they earned there last season, and looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. With the Blues kicking off almost five hours before Manchester City, they can once again heap pressure on their main title rivals by going nine points clear of them.

Chelsea’s win at Anfield last season was one of their biggest results of the season, and it was done with a second string side. Jose Mourinho rested many of his stars with Atletico Madrid coming to the Bridge in the Champions League just a few days later, not dissimilar to what the Liverpool boss did this week.

The Blues will need a much improved performance from their draw in the Champions League with Maribor, and we’ll likely see a much changed side after that game. Chelsea rested several of their own players for that match, and they’ll certainly come back in for the trip to Anfield.

Petr Cech started in goal at Maribor, but Thibaut Courtois should come back between the sticks. The Belgian has started every league game this season, and that should continue here. Cesar Azpilicueta has completed his ban for a red card at Crystal Palace, and he should return this week to replace Filipe Luis. John Terry will be picked ahead of Kurt Zouma in defence, while Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic will complete the back four.

Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas will keep their places in central midfield, but they’re likely to be joined by Ramires in the middle, with Mourinho going for three in the middle of the park. The Blues looked far too open against Maribor in midweek, and they’ll need to be more solid against a Liverpool side who can attack with pace. Those three in the middle can control the game, in the 4-5-1 formation that Mourinho likes in these big away games.

Eden Hazard and Willian should complete the midfield, playing out wide. Both are more disciplined defensively than Andre Schurrle, which will be needed to stop Liverpool’s full backs from bombing on. While neither of those two were impressive in midweek, Hazard is an automatic pick and Willian is one of the hardest working players at the club.

Up front Diego Costa should be ready to start. Didier Drogba started in midweek, but Costa came on at half time with the Blues struggling. He should still be fit enough to start after that, and the Blues certainly need him. Since his injury the Blues have struggled to score goals and control games, so they’ll need him back to the form he showed at the start of the season as we enter a crucial stage of the campaign. Liverpool haven’t been very solid at the back in recent times, so this looks to be a great chance for Costa to get back to scoring ways.

LCN Verdict: 1-1 draw

Chelsea can secure qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday night if they win against Slovenian side Maribor and the other result goes their way. The Blues sit top of the group, five points clear of Wednesday’s opponents Maribor, and six points ahead of bottom club Sporting Lisbon.

A win for the Blues in Slovenia and a win for Schalke in Portugal would send Chelsea through with two games still to play. That would set up a huge clash with Roberto Di Matteo’s Schalke at the end of this month for top spot. But before that, the Blues will need to see off Maribor.

They’ll need a much improved performance from their weekend win over QPR, and we could well see a few changes in personnel on the back of that. Petr Cech came into goal in the last Champions League game against Maribor, and he could well replace Thibaut Courtois for this trip. In defence Branislav Ivanovic will stay at right back, while Kurt Zouma may come in for either John Terry or Gary Cahill after impressing in his rare appearances this season. At left back, Filipe Luis is likely to continue his run in the team at the expense of Cesar Azpilicueta.

In midfield Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas should be the central duo, continuing their impressive partnership. Don’t be surprised to see John Obi Mikel or Ramires come on early in the second half for either of these two, with a trip to Anfield coming on Saturday. Oscar and Eden Hazard should keep their places in the team, while Andre Schurrle may come in for Willian on the right wing.

Up front is again the real question mark. Diego Costa returned to the side against QPR and he was taken off early, possibly with this game in mind, but there’s still a question mark over whether he can play three games in the space of a week. Costa will be crucial for the game at the weekend, so we could see Didier Drogba face Maribor again, after scoring against them in the last game.

After the struggles Chelsea had playing with just Drogba up top against United, it’s likely the Ivorian will play here to ensure that Costa is ready for the Liverpool game. Drogba may have lost some of his pace, but he still has the quality and physical presence to trouble a side like Maribor.

We should see a few of the younger players on the bench, and they may make an appearance later on in the game. The likes of Dom Solanke, Nathan Ake and Kurt Zouma could all play some part. The Blues will see this as a perfect chance to give them a little more game time, especially with no more cup games for the next six weeks. While this might not be another 6-0, it should be a comfortable enough victory.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-0

Chelsea will look to open a nine point gap between themselves and title challengers Manchester City with a win at home to QPR on Saturday. The Blues kick off just under 24 hours before City, giving them a chance to extend their lead, but they are facing a bogey team in the form of QPR.

Harry Redknapp’s side are in the relegation zone, but they’ve picked up seven points from their last four meetings with Chelsea, including a 1-0 victory in their last trip to Stamford Bridge. QPR haven’t had the best of starts this season, but they took four points from Chelsea in their last relegation season, so the Blues need to be to their toes for this one.

Given Jose Mourinho’s reaction to his fringe players’ performances against Shrewsbury on Tuesday night, don’t expect any shocks in the line up. Mourinho said his team selection was already decided in his head, so he clearly knows who is going to be available.

Thibaut Courtois will come back in for Petr Cech in goal, while Branislav Ivanovic served his ban in the Shrewsbury game, so he’ll be back for selection. His fellow full back Cesar Azpilicueta is serving his final game of his ban for a red card against Palace this weekend, so he’ll miss out. That means Filipe Luis will keep his place in the team, and the back five will be unchanged from the draw against United.

In midfield, Ramires should be back fit again for this game, but he’s likely to take up a place on the bench with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas starting. Ramires wasn’t even fit enough for the bench against Shrewsbury, meaning he’s hardly likely to start this weekend. Given John Obi Mikel’s mistake cost Chelsea a goal on Tuesday, he’s also unlikely to feature.

Mohammed Salah was another who Mourinho was likely disappointed with, despite his assist, and he should drop out of the team along with Schurrle. Willian and Eden Hazard came on as subs against Shrewsbury, but they’ll be back in the starting line up against QPR. Oscar should complete the midfield five, given how his performances and work rate have been impressive in recent weeks.

Up front is once again Chelsea’s main worry, with the Blues definitely without Frenchman Loic Remy. Didier Drogba has had to play 90 minutes in each of the last two games despite recently declaring himself around 65% fit. The question is, can he start and aim for the full 90 once more?

It’s been argued that Mourinho wouldn’t have risked Drogba if he thought Costa was ready for this weekend’s game, but he had little alternative upfront. His comments after the game on the Ivorian hinted that he may need to play at the weekend, which could see Costa starting on the bench and getting a late appearance to help with his match fitness.

This is an important test for the Blues, that late equaliser from United is the first real setback they’ve faced this season. But, if they can respond to that by laying down a huge marker to City before they face United on Sunday, they’ll show their real title credentials.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

Chelsea face League Two side Shrewsbury on Tuesday night as they look to book a place in the quarter finals of the League Cup. The Premier League leaders are obviously strong favourites to win this game, but they will make several changes with a couple of fringe players sure to be handed a game.

The Blues have a mini injury and suspension crisis at the moment, with several first team players unavailable. With a Premier League clash with QPR coming up at the weekend, Mourinho will want to give his main men a rest. Petr Cech came in for Thibaut Courtois in the last cup game against Bolton, and he should do the same again here.

In defence, Cesar Azpilicueta and Branislav Ivanovic are both suspended after recent red cards, while John Terry could be rested. Youngster Nathan Ake will likely come in at right back, with Filipe Luis at left back, and Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma in the centre. That leaves Chelsea’s defensive options sapped, and we’ll likely see 18-year-old Andreas Christensen take up a place on the bench.

In midfield, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas should both be rested, with John Obi Mikel and Ramires coming to replace them. Ramires has just recovered from injury, and he’ll need the minutes to get back to fitness. If Ramires isn’t quite fit, then we may see Lewis Baker get a start. Given the level of the opposition, it shouldn’t be too much to give any of the youngsters a start here, they should be able to cope.

Further ahead in midfield Mohammed Salah is likely to play after a limited number of appearances in the league. Andre Schurrle could play after suffering with illness in the last couple of weeks, while youngster Issiah Brown should make the bench. Oscar played in the last cup game against Bolton, so he’s likely to round out the midfield.

Up front, with Loic Remy out, Didier Drogba will likely make another start after his goal at Old Trafford on Sunday. Though Drogba may be rested, if Diego Costa isn’t going to be fit for the weekend game with QPR. Remy is definitely out of that game, and if Costa can’t make it, we may see Drogba sit out the game and Dominic Solanke could make his first Chelsea start up front.

Given that Costa was close to being fit for the game on Sunday, he should be ready for the QPR game, so it’s likely that Drogba will lead the line at Shrewsbury. Given the problems he caused United from set pieces, it would be interesting to see how the Shrewsbury defence would cope with him.

Mourinho’s line up will give us a hint at how much he trusts his batch of youngsters. While he’s said they’re going to be held back and given occasional game time, he may need to call on them from the start here with the current injury list. Will he trust them to start and give his established stars a rest? It should be interesting, as Mourinho is hardly one to pass up the chance to win a trophy.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-0

Chelsea head in to their clash with Manchester United knowing that they will be starting the game without their two first choice strikers, with Diego Costa and Loic Remy both injured. They will be facing an out of sorts United side, but they have the benefit of resting all week while Chelsea were in European action on Tuesday.

The Blues know title rivals City have the chance to close the gap at the top to two points, given that they play a day earlier, so the pressure could really be on the Pensioners come kick off on Sunday.

That pressure is bound to be higher after they lost Remy to injury early in their 6-0 win over Maribor in the Champions League. Costa’s hamstring problems should keep him out of the game, and with Remy now likely to be out for two weeks Didier Drogba is the only recognised striker available for the game.

Drogba isn’t going to be able to play for the entire 90 minutes, and starting him could play right in to United’s hands given how their main problem at the back is defending against pace and players running in behind. But, if Drogba doesn’t play, then Chelsea are a little stuck for options. Mourinho could do what he did at Old Trafford last season, and start the game with Andre Schurrle up front in a false nine role.

Schurrle has been out for the last couple of games through illness, but he should be available for the weekend. If not, we could see Cesc Fabregas play in the false nine role. It’s a position that he’s taken up for Spain on many occasions, so he’s more than used to playing there. Mourinho has been raving about Fabregas’ performances in recent weeks, so it remains to be seen if he’d consider moving him to a role where he’d be more withdrawn from the game.

On top of that, he may be needed for midfield duty as well. Ramires has been out though injury in recent weeks, and he may not make the game at the weekend. Add to that John Obi Mikel’s ankle injury which makes him a doubt, and Fabregas and Matic will probably need to be the midfield pairing. The attacking midfield trio should remain unchanged, but they’ll be expected to chip in with goals given the forward situation.

At the back, Cesar Azpilicueta misses out through suspension, so Filipe Luis will be starting at left back. Kurt Zouma should make way for Gary Cahill, while Thibaut Courtois should return to goal in place of Petr Cech.

While this can hardly be called an injury crisis, it is a worry for Mourinho. A few players may well be patched up for the game on Sunday, and there’s likely going to be a few kids on the bench. Despite that, they’re facing a United side who are struggling for form and they’ll be without Wayne Rooney, so this is far from impossible for the Blues.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-1

Chelsea return to Champions League action on Tuesday night as they host group minnows Maribor. The Blues currently sit top of their group, with the Slovenians two points behind in third place. With this group so tight right now, Chelsea really need six points from their next two games, which are both against Maribor, to truly stamp their authority on proceedings.

After their win in Lisbon against Sporting three weeks ago, the Blues are in a strong position in group G, despite dropping points to Schalke on the opening day. Maribor have started off well in the group, picking up two draws so far as they have shown they’re not going to be the walkovers many expected. They went to Schalke in their last game and took the lead before being pegged back, so Chelsea will need to be careful here.

Despite that, they know a draw isn’t an option. They need a win here to make sure they stay top of the group, with a crucial clash against Roberto Di Mateo’s Schalke side coming up next month. This group was painted by many as the perfect group for Chelsea when the draw was made, but it’s looking a little more difficult than that right now.

We will likely see the Pensioners stay with their usual back four in this game. Filipe Luis usually gets a game in the Champions League, but he’s likely to be rested here with Cesar Azpilicueta suspended for next weekend’s trip to Manchester United. There are no current injury worries in defence, but there are a few further forward.

In midfield Ramires still hasn’t recovered from his groin injury, so he’ll have to sit out here. That shouldn’t have too much of an effect, with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas set to start anyway. Another injury doubt is Andre Schurrle. He missed his country’s game against Ireland and the win against Palace with illness, and he could be out for this game as well. Willian will probably keep his place beside Oscar and Eden Hazard.

Up front is another worry, with Diego Costa out for the game and possibly out for the next three weeks with a hamstring injury. Loic Remy came in for Costa at the weekend and he could keep his place, although Mourinho may want to keep him for the game at the weekend, in which case Didier Drogba could start.

While losing Costa is a blow, Remy is a more than able replacement so the Blues should be able to cope. Given how Drogba has performed since returning to the club, him starting could be a worry. He looks like he’s lost quite a bit of pace, and he doesn’t seem as sharp on the ball as he once was. With Maribor likely to come and play very defensively, Drogba would struggle against a deep defence who offer little room in behind.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-0

Chelsea return from the international break to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park as they look to maintain their five point advantage at the top of the table. The Blues suffered a defeat here last season, but they come this time defending an unbeaten record, and they’ll be looking to keep that going at all costs.

Jose Mourinho’s men will have to cope with the difficulty brought about by the international break, with most of the squad having been away on duty with their national teams. The Brazilian contingent had to fly to China for a friendly against Argentina, while most of the Europeans had two qualifiers to play on the continent.

One boost from the international games is the return of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who played both of his country’s matches after coming off in his last club game after suffering a blow to the head. He was taken to hospital after coming off, but he’s now back to fitness and available for the game on Saturday.

Courtois will likely start behind the regular back four of Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta. While three of those were in international action, they should all have returned ready to feature in Saturday’s game. As for the midfielders, the international break has given Ramires time to recover, and he should be available for the game at the weekend, although he’s likely to be starting on the bench.

Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas should keep their places in the side for the weekend’s game, with Mourinho likely to keep to the favoured 4-2-3-1 formation for the trip to Palace. We could potentially see Ramires as well, but only if he takes up an attacking position on the right of the three attacking midfielders. Eden Hazard and Oscar have been impressive in recent weeks, and they’re likely to start.

They’ll be joined by either Andre Schurrle, if he’s recovered from the illness that kept him out of his country’s draw with Ireland, or Willian. Willian played for 46 minutes against Argentina in China, so he’s likely to be in the best shape to start here. Up front, Diego Costa will look to add to his nine goals so far, after scoring his first international goal in Spain’s win over Luxembourg. Didier Drogba should be back to fitness after his ankle injury, but he’s likely going to have to settle for a place on the bench.

With Palace coming here as one of the favourites for the drop, Chelsea should be able to record a win here. Palace aren’t the side that beat them 1-0 last season, after losing Tony Pulis in the summer. The main worry for Chelsea here is the so called “FIFA virus” with many of their stars coming back from international action. The Blues won’t be at their fittest, so they’ll have to get round that to extend their unbeaten run and hold on to their lead at the top of the table.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-1