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How times change in football. Not so long ago, Maurizio Sarri was lauded as one of the best managers Chelsea have had after he made a promising start to life in Premier League. The Blues were at one point during the course of the season neck and neck with Liverpool and Manchester City in the title race.
However, things have hit rock bottom for the West Londoners. Wednesday’s humiliation to Bournemouth was the heaviest loss suffered by Chelsea in the league in the Roman Abramovich era, and that also pushed them outside the top four.
Sarri has been under immense pressure. His recent criticism of his players has not gone unnoticed, and the chants of ‘’you don’t know what you are doing’’ were heard at Vitality Stadium as Chelsea fans voiced their displeasure.
Huddersfield Town, the league’s bottom club with nothing to lose, will head to Stamford Bridge hoping to repeat last season’s heroics of 1-1 draw which was the platform of their survival. Although the great escape is almost out of reach this season, they could not have picked a better time to play Chelsea.
Here's all you need to know ahead of the game.
Team News
Gonzalo Higuain has been struggling with back problem following his loan move from Milan although he could still be involved in this encounter.
Chelsea have no other injury concerns, however, Maurizio Sarri could make a wholesale of changes from the team that lost heavily at Bournemouth.
Huddersfield could hand a debut to new signing Karlan Grant, while Philip Billing could return to the first team after missing the last two games with knee injury.
Match Facts
Huddersfield recorded a memorable 1-1 draw in their last visit to Stamford Bridge last season which guaranteed their Premier League survival.
Chelsea are in danger of losing three successive Premier League matches for the first time since 2015, and have failed to score in three of their last four games.
Huddersfield have lost 10 of their last 11 league matches, drawing the other.
The Terriers have scored a lowly 13 goals this season in the league, and have lost all their seven Premier League matches against the top 6 sides this season, with an aggregate score of 19-2.
Predicted Line-ups
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, David Luiz, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Loftus-Cheek, Hazard, Higuain, Willian
Huddersfield: Lossl, Hadergjonaj, Jorgensen, Schindler, Kongolo, Hogg, Mooy, Billing, Kachunga, Diakhaby, Grant
Prediction
These are testing times for Chelsea, but they are playing the worst side in the league. If they struggle to break down Huddersfield’s back line, then serious questions would need to be asked about Sarri’s future at Chelsea.
Already, the odds makers’ have listed the former Napoli head coach as a favorite to get the sack and a loss to the Terriers could almost effectively put his long-term future at the club under serious jeopardy. However, Chelsea should win this at a canter.
Predicted score: Chelsea 3-0 Huddersfield
