Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, with Thomas Tuchel looking to keep their top four pursuit alive.
Tuchel will have no thanks for Frank Lampard for the position in which he left Chelsea. The Blues were in ninth place in the Premier League table when the German took charge of his first game, and currently sit in fifth, right on the peripheral of the Champions League qualification spots.
Finishing inside the top four is considered the bare minimum for Chelsea, and defeat at the hands of Manchester United today would leave them with an uphill task to achieve that. Here’s the side that Tuchel has named to try and get one over on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer today.
Today’s team to take on Man Utd! ? #CHEMUN pic.twitter.com/BRAgwCFG3z
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 28, 2021
Notable absentees include Marcos Alonso and Timo Werner, who have been ever-present under Tuchel so far this campaign. Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell come into the mix, which will raise a few eyebrows.
Ziyech in particular impressed while Frank Lampard was still in charge, but has fallen under the radar since Tuchel took the reins. Today, he’s been thrown in at the deep end.
Some Chelsea fans on Twitter have been using the platform to react to the inclusion of the former Ajax man…
Ziyech should better make good use of this opportunity. I love him?
— Olamilekan (@JustOlamilekan_) February 28, 2021
Really hope Ziyech smashes it today. Annoys me the way some fans talk about him like he’s some bum.
— $ (@damicfc_) February 28, 2021
Ziyech’s left foot against Slab head inject it ? https://t.co/AESBnVG9wD
— Nino Brown (@Mahalla2k) February 28, 2021
Ziyech will be key today. Tuchel will be hoping he can create chances & break down United’s low-block better than Werner would’ve done. I agree.
— allthingschels (@allthingschels1) February 28, 2021
Gassed with this lineup. Ziyech through the middle was good against Atletico and it will be the same here. He’ll be linking up with CHO like they did in the Wolves game
— Felix (@CFC_felixj) February 28, 2021
Ziyech masterclass incoming
— FlyCaseUchiha (@FlyCases) February 28, 2021
Ziyech is contributing to a goal today, mark my words
— Andy ?? (@bing1nho) February 28, 2021
The magician is back @ziyech22
Ziyech isn’t an inside forward, he needs to be on the wing
chelsea:
total antifootball.
totally annoying.
totally ineffective.
painfull to watch.
top 4 finish?
how?