Preview: Chelsea visit Scott Parker’s Burnley in early KO
Enzo Maresca’s inconsistent Chelsea head to Turf Moor for Saturday’s early Premier League kick-off knowing a win would make them three points off league leaders Arsenal…temporarily at least.
By Alex Roberts
Burnley on the other hand are starting to fall further towards the bottom after a decent start with their 3-2 defeat to West Ham on Matchday 11 looking more and more like a relegation fighting six-pointer lost.
Moisés Caicedo needs a rest
He’s arguably the best central midfielder in the Premier League at the moment but there is only so much he can do, even Maresca has admitted that Caicedo has been playing through the pain at points this season.
Roméo Lavia was the man signed to be his understudy, but he can’t last five minutes on the pitch without something happening, and fans are starting to lose faith after just 30 appearances in two-and-a-half seasons.
Dário Essugo was brought in this summer, but he isn’t expected to return until the new year. Chelsea have some season defining games coming up, and they’ll need Caicedo at his best. Would it be wise to give him a break against Burnley?
Jaidon Anthony is Burnley’s best hope
Scott Parker’s side have ten points, three wins, one draw, and seven defeats from their opening 11 Premier League games. It’s not the end of the world, worse sides have survived with worse, but things are looking dicey.
Thankfully, they have Jaidon Anthony. The winger has been at the centre of everything good Burnley have done this season, not only scoring against some of the league’s big boys but performing when it matters too.
Anthony got a goal and an assist in their crucial 2-0 win over Sunderland as well as the equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest. Parker needs to get him on the ball as much as possible if he wants to keep his side in the Premier League come the end of the season.
Team news
The big team news for this one is that Cole Palmer was expected to return to the squad but has since suffered a further injury setback. Maresca reported that the mercurial forward has now fractured a toe and will miss Chelsea’s upcoming games against Barcelona and Arsenal, at least.
Maresca is sweating over the fitness of Enzo Fernández (knee), Pedro Neto (groin) and Benoît Badiashile (unspecified), while Essugo (thigh), Levi Colwill (knee), and Lavia (thigh) are all definitely out.
As for Burnley, ex-Chelsea academy product Armando Broja, he was stretchered off while on international duty with Albania, but it’s looking like his ankle injury isn’t as bad as initially feared, thankfully.
The striker will still likely miss a reunion with his old teammates, however, with Jordan Beyer (thigh), Zeki Amdouni (knee) and Connor Roberts (Achilles) also out.
Prediction
This feels like one of those games Chelsea drops points in. The 2-1 defeat to Sunderland and the 2-2 draw with Qarabağ will doubtless be on the minds of fans, and Burnley have done well against the bigger sides, having some rotten luck.
So, we’re going with a 1-1 draw at a rainy Turf Moor.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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