Chelsea fans’ preferred lineup against Newcastle: Christensen at right wing-back?

One could quickly forget these days that there are still actual games to be played as well, but in fact Chelsea take on Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge today. There are big question marks regarding fitness/injuries over several players, but let’s see what we managed to cook up.

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Édouard Mendy starts in goal ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga (3%) and the 3-4-3 continues to reign supreme — no other formation got over 10%, even as the WAGNH community didn’t want to make any adjustments.

The back three is as strong as ever, with Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva and Antonio Rüdiger getting the votes. Saúl Ñíguez has become our main left wing-back in the absence of Marcos Alonso (10%). But it’s a bit more complicated on the right where the injuries to Reece James and César Azpilicueta (28%) could see someone like Andreas Christensen get a try. Malang Sarr (23%) and Kenedy (14%) fall short of the starting lineup by large margins.

After some well-deserved rest midweek, N’Golo Kanté immediately returns to the lineup and joins up with the brilliant Mateo Kovačić. This is arguably our best, or at least most in form, combination in the pivot, meaning Jorginho (37%) plays his nowadays familiar back-up role. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (29%) waits in the wings for any position (ed.note: except maybe goalkeeper at this point!) he can fill.

Mason Mount, back to his scoring ways, gets a starting spot up front alongside Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz, who has been instrumental in our recently improved attack. Timo Werner (29%) and Romelu Lukaku (30%) come close to starting, Callum Hudson-Odoi (3%) and Christian Pulisic (18%) do not.

3-4-3 (71%)
Mendy (97%) | Rüdiger (99%), Silva (89%), Chalobah (62%) | Saúl (52%), Kovačić (79%), Kanté (87%), Christensen (57%) | Mount (88%), Havertz (93%), Ziyech (65%)