There are numerous storylines surrounding the Halloween night League Cup encounter between Chelsea FC and Derby County at Stamford Bridge. Will the fourth round clash be trick or treat for Frank Lampard? Chelsea’s all-time leading goal scorer will manage against his former club for the first time.
Lampard and Derby will come into this clash with a healthy level of confidence having just ousted Manchester United, via a thrilling penalty kick shootout in the previous round. On top of the homecoming angle, you also have Chelsea granting two of their loanees permission to play against them.
As you might have heard somewhere along the way, Chelsea FC has loaned out a lot of their players to other clubs.
A statement from Chelsea says that loanees Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have been granted the right to compete for the Rams in this one because the west London side “believe the experience of facing top-level opposition once more will be of benefit to their ongoing development.”
There is a fitness concern surrounding Mount though, as he limped off early in Derby’s previous match, three days ago against Middlesbrough. It may have been just a precaution though, as Lampard reportedly believes Mount will be able to go.
Flipping over to the host side, leading scorer Eden Hazard has missed the last two competitions for Chelsea after having suffered a back problem in the draw versus Manchester United. He’ll likely be rested again here in the hopes of having him back for league play this weekend.
Elsewhere, forward Pedro has endured another setback when he left the win over Burnley early due to what manager Maurizio Sarri deemed a “very strong stomach ache.” Meanwhile Ethan Ampadu remains out with the knee injury that he suffered on international duty.
Two Chelsea players that you absolutely should expect see in the first team are Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
League Cup Derby County at Chelsea FC FYIs
Kickoff/TV: Wednesday, October 31, 7:45 PM local Stamford Bridge, Sky Sports UK
Odds via Odds Checker: Derby County 10/1, Draw 5/1, Chelsea FC 1/4
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Prediction: Chelsea FC 3, Derby County 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Lineups.com and Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.