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Chelsea fans were jubilant after Mauricio Pochettino named Mykhailo Mudryk in the starting XI to face Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge later today (September 24).
The Blues have had a torrid start to their 2023-24 Premier League season despite spending more than £400 million on new signings this summer. They are currently 14th in the league with just five points from five games and will be desperate to get back to winning ways.
Chelsea face an unpredictable Aston Villa side that have flourished in recent months under Unai Emery. The Villains are seventh in the standings with nine points.
Robert Sanchez starts in goal for Chelsea. Malo Gusto, Thiago Silva, Axel Disasi, and Levi Colwill make up the defense. Ben Chilwell has been named on the bench.
The midfield consists of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Conor Gallagher. Mykhailo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling, and Nicolas Jackson complete the starting XI with Pochettino opting to go with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Fans are delighted that Mudryk has been named in the starting XI on the left wing. Pochettino deployed Chilwell there earlier in the season, however, the switch failed to have any effect as the Blues have struggled for goals, scoring just five goals in the league.
Even though Mudryk has failed to justify his £62 million price tag, scoring no goals in his 21 appearances for the club, fans are excited to see how he performs today. One fan wrote:
"OUR SEASON STARTS TODAY. WE ARE WINNING THE LEAGUE"
The Blues will be looking for revenge after their 2-0 defeat in this same fixture last season against Aston Villa.
Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea defender will leave club in January
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah is likely to leave the club in the January transfer window unless his situation changes.
Chalobah broke into the Blues' starting XI back in the 2021-22 season under the tutelage of Thomas Tuchel. The 24-year-old has made 63 appearances across all competitions over the course of two seasons since but has fallen down the pecking order under Mauricio Pochettino.
In his column for CaughtOffside, Romano wrote:
"One player who is going to leave his club in January is someone we discussed a couple of days ago, and it’s Trevoh Chalobah at Chelsea. […] It doesn’t mean that he won’t get any chances in the next weeks or months as a Chelsea player, but the expectation in terms of transfers is for Trevoh Chalobah to look for solutions in January and to leave the club."
He added:
"That’s the position today, in September. Things can change in football, but as of today, the expectation is 100 percent for Trevoh Chalobah to try a new chapter."
Chalobah is yet to make an appearance for the Blues this season with Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, and Axel Disasi preferred over him.
