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Chelsea will look to take themselves away from a potential scrap for a top four finish when they face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Blues will come into the game on the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of struggling Everton last weekend. They will be up against a Wolves side that has been plagued by inconsistency for most of this season.
Chelsea have failed to defeat Wolves under Thomas Tuchel
Surprisingly, Wolves have managed to pose a problem for the Blues in the 16 months Tuchel has been in charge, with the Blues yet to breach their backline in both games. In fact, they have failed to win in each of their last three meetings with Wolves. The German manager will be hoping to avoid another goalless draw that may have a damaging effect on their top four hopes.
The European Champions will be without a number of regulars for the clash against Wolves, but Tuchel will hope that those that do play will be able to finish the job.
Without further ado, here is how Chelsea could line up against Wolves.
Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy
Class, they say, is permanent while form is temporary. Despite his recent struggles, Edouard Mendy will continue in goal for Chelsea. The Senegalese goalkeeper has let in a number of questionable goals of recent, but Tuchel has continued to back him.
Mendy has not tasted victory over Wolves as a Chelsea player. The 30-year-old has kept clean sheets in consecutive games against them and will be hoping to break his personal duck of not winning against Wolves.
Right Centre-Back: Cesar Azpilicueta
Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta will be looking to lead his side to a win against Wolves. The Spaniard has been one of the club's most consistent players since arriving at the club nine years ago.
Azpilicueta is usually known for his effectiveness at defending. He made his first ever error leading to a goal at the weekend against Everton. He will be looking to bounce back immediately with a solid performance against Wolves.
Centre-Back: Thiago Silva
Veteran defender Thiago Silva has featured 44 times already this season for the Blues, just short of the record number of appearances in a single season in his career. The 37-year-old Brazilian defender has played a key role for the Blues this season.
Silva is one of the Premier League's best defenders presently, just as he has been in his two seasons at the club. The former PSG man signed a contract extension at the club in January and is expected to continue to feature prominently.
Left Centre-Back: Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger has been one of Chelsea's best performers this season with quality performance after quality performance. The German defender is said to be on the verge of a move to Real Madrid after seeing his contract at Stamford Bridge run out.
The 29-year-old will look to end his career in London on a high by helping the side achieve its goals. He has featured in most matches since the appointment of Tuchel.
Right-Wing Back: Reece James
One of the Blues' best performers this season has been 22-year-old Reece James. The right-back has been consistent for the side since making his debut in 2019. James has developed into one of the best attacking full-backs in English football in recent months despite an injury-plagued season.
James has featured 22 times this season in the Premier League and has five goals and six assists to his name. The young defender poses one of his side's most potent threats in attack.
Central Midfield: Ruben Loftus-Cheek
For the first time in a long while, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has played a sustained run of games for the first team. The English midfielder has managed to work his way back into contention this season and has impressed several times.
Loftus-Cheek will start in the middle of the park with both Jorginho and N'Golo Kante likely to be unavailable. The Englishman will look to continue to impress in what could be a defining period with the 2022 World Cup looming in the horizon.
Central Midfield: Mateo Kovacic
Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic is another of the club's top performers this season. The midfielder has had an injury-plagued season, appearing only 23 times in the Premier League this season. In that time, he has two goals and five assists for the Blues this season.
Kovacic has only returned to action after he picked up an ankle injury in the FA Cup semifinal against Crystal Palace. The 28-year-old will have a huge role to play in what is left of the season for his side.
Left-Wing Back: Marcos Alonso
Marcos Alonso has performed admirably in recent weeks despite the off-the-field problems the club has faced. The Spaniard has enjoyed a run of games since the injury to Ben Chilwell in November and has managed to keep his place in the team despite Kenedy's return.
With the side having failed to score against Everton, Alonso remains the last player to score for them with his opener against Manchester United. The 31-year-old has three goals and four assists in the Premier League this season.
Forward: Mason Mount
With 10 goals and nine assists in the Premier League this season, Mason Mount is poised to reach double figures for goals and assists for the first time.The 22-year-old is in line to win the club's Player of the Year award for a second year running due to his impressive performances.
Mount has become one of the most important players for the Blues. The midfielder has grown from an academy prospect to being a standout performer for the first team. He will have an important role to play in his side's run-in.
Forward: Timo Werner
Timo Werner has picked up form just when his side need him the most. The German striker has four goals and two assists in his last seven appearances in all competitions for the Blues. Despite his struggles in front of goal, Werner has impressed fans with his endeavor and willingness to work hard for the team.
Werner has a potent weapon in his arsenal, his pace. The 26-year-old will look to stretch Wolves' backline with his pace and runs. He has four goals in 20 appearances in the Premier League this season and will be looking to add to that tally.
Striker: Romelu Lukaku
The failure of Tuchel to introduce Romelu Lukaku against Everton with his side chasing the game raised questions about the manager's opinion of the striker. The Belgian international has struggled to find fluency at his boyhood club since his ill-fated interview.
Despite Kai Havertz being preferred in front of goal in recent weeks, Tuchel may have to hand Lukaku another chance with Havertz's poor form of recent. The club-record signing has managed only five goals in 23 Premier League appearances this season and will hope to improve his numbers before the season ends.
