“What’s the definition of insanity again?”, “see what other combos work!” – Chelsea fans question why 2 players are not part of starting line-up for Leicester game

Chelsea fans are unhappy with the exclusion of forward Christian Pulisic and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from the starting XI for their Premier League clash against Leicester City on Saturday, August 27.

The Blues take on the Foxes at Stamford Bridge as they try to overcome recent disappointments. The Blues played out a 2-2 draw against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur after dominating for majority of the game on Sunday, August 14. Thomas Tuchel's side were then hammered 3-0 by Leeds United last weekend.

The Whites opened the scoring at Elland Road via a horrific Edouard Mendy error. He dabbled on the ball for too long as Brendan Aaronson pressed the Senegalese to put it in the back of the net.

Chelsea fans were thus hoping that Kepa would replace Mendy in the starting lineup against Leicester.

Another player who has been put on the bench against the Foxes is Pulisic, who is yet to start a game this season. He has played just 57 minutes across three matches so far.

Tuchel opted to start Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz in the frontline alongside Mason Mount.

After the Chelsea starting lineup was announced, fans took to Twitter to share their disappointment at Kepa and Pulisic's exclusion from the starting XI.

Pulisic has played 118 matches for the Blues so far since joining from Borussia Dortmung in 2019, scoring 25 goals and providing 19 assists.

Kepa, meanwhile, has played 124 matches so far for the west London side since joining from Athletic Bilbao in 2018. However, he has been the second-choice keeper since Mendy's arrival from Stade Rennais in 2020.

Chelsea set to sign Wesley Fofana from Leicester City

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Thomas Tuchel's side are set to sign Leicester City centre-back Wesley Fofana this summer.

He will become Chelsea's seventh signing of the summer. They have already signed left-back Marc Cucurella, centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly and forward Raheem Sterling.

The Blues have also signed youngsters like goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina and midfielders Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei.

Fofana, 21, will sign a six-year contract with the Blues and is joining for a big fee of £75 million plus add-ons. The Frenchman has played 52 matches for Leicester City since joining from Saint-Etienne in 2020.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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“What’s the definition of insanity again?” “See what other combos work!” – Chelsea fans question why 2 players are not part of starting line-up for Leicester game

Chelsea set to sign Wesley Fofana from Leicester City