Chelsea’s Team News vs Southampton: Injuries and Predicted XI | OneFootball

Chelsea Team News and Predicted XI vs Southampton

Chelsea face Southampton tonight in the Premier League, and the Blues are once again grappling with a series of injury setbacks. With their striker options severely limited, manager Enzo Maresca will be forced to make tactical adjustments in an attempt to secure vital points at Stamford Bridge. Here’s a closer look at the latest team news and what could be expected from Chelsea in tonight’s encounter.

Striker Shortage Forces Tactical Shift

Chelsea’s injury woes in the striking department continue to hinder their performances. First-choice forward Nicolas Jackson is sidelined due to a hamstring injury, while backup striker Marc Guiu is also unavailable after sustaining an injury against West Ham earlier this month. In light of these absences, Maresca has had to find alternative solutions, and one of those solutions has been Pedro Neto.

Neto, initially deployed as a winger, has been asked to lead the line in recent matches. Despite Chelsea’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Aston Villa last Saturday, Neto’s performance was one of the few positives. His assist for Enzo Fernandez’s opening goal was a bright spot in an otherwise lacklustre display. “It could be a good option,” Maresca said when discussing the possibility of Neto continuing in the centre-forward role. “We tried with Neto in the days before the game and we saw he could do that. It was a positive one.”

Photo: IMAGO

With no immediate return in sight for Jackson or Guiu, Neto is expected to continue in this makeshift role for the visit of Southampton. His pace and directness could offer Chelsea a much-needed attacking outlet as they look to improve on recent disappointing results.

Defensive Adjustments

The defensive side of Chelsea’s setup is also dealing with injuries. Centre-back Trevor Chalobah was forced off early in the loss to Aston Villa and will be absent for the next two games. Tosin Adarabioyo came on to replace Chalobah and is likely to partner Levi Colwill at the heart of defence. However, Chelsea also has academy graduate Josh Acheampong as another potential option to fill the gap.

Maresca’s defensive choices will be vital as Chelsea face a Southampton side that will be eager to capitalize on the Blues’ ongoing struggles. With the absence of several key players, it’s crucial that Chelsea’s backline remains solid to prevent further damage to their Premier League standing.

Midfield and Forward Line Decisions

While Chelsea’s forward options remain depleted, Maresca also faces decisions in the midfield and wider attacking positions. One of the major questions will be whether Reece James is used in midfield once again. The Chelsea captain has been cautiously managed due to fitness concerns, and it remains to be seen whether he will be called upon to play in a deeper role against Southampton. If James doesn’t feature in midfield, Jadon Sancho could be pushed further up the pitch as a winger to offer support in attack.

Photo IMAGO

Chelsea will also be looking to Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku to play pivotal roles in creating chances. Nkunku has been deployed as a central attacking figure in recent weeks and will likely retain his place in the starting XI, despite the ongoing search for an effective forward combination.

Chelsea Predicted XI vs Southampton

With so many injuries to key players, Maresca will have to make adjustments and rely on his available squad to step up. Here’s how Chelsea could line up for the crucial clash:

Predicted XI:Jorgensen; Gusto, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Sancho, Palmer, Nkunku; Neto

Injured: Jackson, Guiu, Chalobah, Lavia, Fofana, Madueke, Badiashile, KellymanUnavailable: Mudryk

Date & Time: 8:15pm GMT, Tuesday, February 25, 2025Venue: Stamford BridgeTV Channel & Live Stream: TNT Sports

As Chelsea look to bounce back from their recent defeat, the squad will need to dig deep, with both individual performances and team cohesion crucial to overcoming Southampton.