As Chelsea resume their FA Cup campaign Tuesday night at home versus Liverpool, they will be without several of their brightest stars. NโGolo Kante remains sidelined with a groin injury that will keep him out until later this March.
Meanwhile Christian Pulisic is still out with what manager Frank Lampard called “a difficult injury.” He’s had re-occurring groin and hip problems that have severely hampered his availability this season.
Elsewhere Callum Hudson-Odoi has not played since the beginning of February, but he’s moving closer to a return. This match will come too soon for him however. Additionally, striker Tammy Abraham who got hurt in the warm-down after Chelsea’s crushing Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich, is also out (ankle problems).
Lampard would have likely done some squad rotation for this match anyway, so some of these guys probably wouldn’t play in this match, even if they were healthy.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction
Caballero; James, Tomori, Christensen, Alonso; Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount; Willian, Giroud, Barkley.
Liverpool FC at Chelsea FA Cup Round of 16, FYIs
Kickoff: March 3, 7:45 pm, Stamford Bridge
Last Five Meetings: Liverpool wins 3, Draw 1, Chelsea wins 1
Aggregate Score: Chelsea (LLLDW) 6-8 Liverpool (WWWDL)
Liverpool Team News, Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
TV: BBC 1
Prediction: Liverpool 2, Chelsea 1
Paul M. Banks runsย The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered withย News Now.ย Banks, the author ofย โNo,ย ย I Canโt Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,โ regularly appears onย WGN CLTVย and co-hosts theย โLetโs Get Weird, Sportsโ podcastย onย SB Nation.ย
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