Chelsea are back in action once again in the Premier League tonight as they prepare to travel across London to take on Arsenal at The Emirates.
The Blues were knocked out of the FA Cup on Saturday as they were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City at Wembley, thanks to a late strike from Bernardo Silva.
Mauricio Pochettino's side will not be winning any silverware this season but still have the chance to qualify for the Europa Conference League or the Europa League, which means that every game is important and all three points are needed this evening.
A win for Chelsea would see them move up to seventh in the Premier League, ahead of West Ham United and Manchester United, and level on points with Newcastle United in sixth, who have a better goal difference at the moment.
The Blues could, however, be without their superstar forward Cole Palmer for this clash with the Gunners, as he is currently a major doubt to be fit for the game.
Latest Cole Palmer fitness news
According to Pochettino, the England international has been struggling with an illness and may not be ready to take to the field at The Emirates tonight.
The Chelsea boss stated that, as of Monday, he did not "believe" that the left-footed maestro would be involved in the game, and added that the attacker may not even be able to play if he recovers on Tuesday.
He added that it would be a "good" challenge for his team to face the Gunners without Palmer in the starting XI, as it could motivate the other players to prove that the side is not "Cole Palmer Football Club".
There is little doubt that the English magician will be a tough act to follow for whoever is tasked with taking his place in the lineup, due to his phenomenal form in the Premier League this season.
Appearances
28
Goals
20
xG
14.95
Assists
9
Big chances created
12
Key passes per game
1.9
As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old wizard has been outstanding in the final third with a staggering 29 direct goal contributions in just 28 appearances since his move from Manchester City last summer.
He is the joint-top scorer in the division, alongside former teammate Erling Haaland, and only three players – Kieran Trippier, Pascal Gross, and Ollie Watkins – have registered more assists.
Chelsea, therefore, do not have anyone in their current squad who has proven that they can reach similar levels, as not many players in the entire league have proven that so far this term.
However, his potential absence does provide someone with an opportunity to step up and make their mark with a big performance against the Gunners.
Instead of going for the experience of Raheem Sterling, Pochettino must unleash speedster Mykhailo Mudryk on the left flank, moving Conor Gallagher into a central role.
Raheem Sterling's form this season
The former England international, who has one goal in his last 16 games in all competitions, has struggled in front of goal at times this season for the Blues.
Now 29, Sterling is an experienced option who has been there and done it in the Premier League over the years, for Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
However, his work in the final third during the 2023/24 campaign has left a lot to be desired. The right-footed attacker has scored six goals and missed 11 'big chances' in 27 league appearances, which has included 21 starts.
This shows that he has not made the most of the opportunities that have been created for him so far in the top-flight, as he has spurned five more 'big chances' than the forward has scored goals.
Sterling has also failed to provide creative quality on a consistent basis for the London-based outfit, with four assists and one key pass per game on average.
The 29-year-old attacker has not been efficient in his offensive or defensive duels, either, with a success rate of just 38% in his attempted dribbles, to go along with a duel success rate of 39% in his battles on the ground and in the air combined.
Why Pochettino should unleash Mykhailo Mudryk
Pochettino must now unleash Mudryk from the start on the left flank ahead of Sterling, as he has the potential to offer more than the English dud in and out of possession.
Firstly, the Ukraine international has won 45% of his duels, including 48% of his ground battles, in the Premier League this season, and could, therefore, provide slightly more strength off the ball to compete against opposition defenders.
The young dynamo, who journalist Nizaar Kinsella hailed as "electric" last year, has also completed 55% of his attempted dribbles in the top-flight.
This shows that the £100k-per-week speedster can beat his man more often than not on the wing, whereas Sterling has been tackled 62% of the time so far.
Appearances
27
25
Starts
21
12
Goals
6
4
Big chances missed
11
3
Assists
4
2
Big chances created
6
5
As you can see in the table above, Mudryk has been less wasteful in front of goal – with more goals than 'big chances' missed – and has only created one fewer 'big chance' for his teammates in nine fewer starts.
This suggests that the 23-year-old whiz, who ranks within the top 10% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive carries (5.82) per 90 this term, has been more efficient at the top end of the pitch than Sterling, given the difference in their playing time and contributions in attack.
Therefore, Pochettino should provide Mudryk with an opportunity to start on the wing against Arsenal in the absence of Palmer, ahead of Sterling, with the added motivation of showing the Gunners what they missed out on.
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Mikel Arteta's side reportedly had two offers rejected by Shakhtar Dontestk before the winger completed his £89m move to Stamford Bridge at the start of last year, and the young gem may want to prove to them that they should have done more to land his signature.