Premier League 2022-23: Chelsea vs Fulham: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

The Blues hosts the Cottagers for yet another London derby on Matchday 22.

Chelsea have surpassed and outspent two of Europe’s top five leagues in the 2022-23 campaign by spending $666.7 m in order to get their season back on track. In what has been a woeful season for the Blues domestically, they are still left stranded at 10th in the table with just 29 points on board.

The arrival of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez might have boosted their ranks. Though they still have to conjure up more goals if they are to overcome a massive 10-point deficit over 4th-place Newcastle United and finish in the top four by the end of the campaign. Kai Havertz’s header from a well-worked set piece gave the Blues a victory over their London rivals Crystal Palace. While the spoils were shared between Liverpool and Chelsea in what happened to be a lack-lustre game. It ended in a stalemate in their last two runouts in the Premier League.

Fulham on the other hand seems to have just run out of steam in the last two weeks. After defeating Chelsea in their own backyard three weeks ago at Craven Cottage, Fulham have lost two league matches in a row. They also drew with Sunderland in FA Cup forcing themselves to make a trip for the decider. Sitting at 7th in the table with 31 points on board, Marco Silva’s men will be pushing for a European finish by the end of the campaign. Goals have been coming in from Aleksandar Mitrovic and Willian and it would not be much of a surprise if the result does not go in the favour of Graham Potter. However, Fulham have not managed to defeat Chelsea in Premier League at Stamford Bridge. Their only two victories came in this venue back in 1964 and 1979.

Kick-off: Saturday,04-02-2023, 01;30 am (IST), 08:00 pm (GMT), Friday, 03-02-2023

Chelsea form (all competition): D-W-L-L-L

Fulham form (all competition): D-L-L-W-W

Player to watch

Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk

He's often ball-facing as a way of facilitating safe circulation but has the balance, change of direction and quality to cushion the ball in a way that sets it toward the goal perfectly. Out wide, he brings his weaker left foot more into play in order to give himself a platform to spring into space using his right foot. Probably the most important signing for Chelsea in January, he will be the most notorious factor for Marco Silva’s men.

Fulham

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Aleksandar Mitrovic is the prototypical number 9, an old-fashioned, physically imposing striker who is capable of holding the ball up with his back to the goal and getting into goal-scoring areas. An immaculate presence in the box, he has 11 goals and 2 assists in his name this season.

Match facts

• Chelsea have the highest win rate percentage in Premier League London derbies (52.7%) while Fulham have the lowest (19.3%).
• Chelsea have just lost two of their last 37 home league games against Fulham (W22, D13).
• Fulham ran out victors by 2-1 at Craven Cottage the last time they met each other in Premier League. If they manage to get a victory at Stamford Bridge this time around, it will be their first ever league-double over the Blues. With this the 38th different campaign in which they have met.

Injury and team news

Ngolo Kante, Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja, Christian Pulisic and Edouard Mendy have been sidelined for a while and the worrying thing is that there are no possible return dates for any of these players. Raheem Sterling and Dennis Zakaria could return in the middle of February. Wesley Fofana and Reece James have been training in recent weeks, and will face a late fitness test before the Fulham match; however, this match may come too soon for them. Joao Felix has one last game left in his suspension while Jorginho is the only player to have left in this transfer window departing to direct rivals Arsenal.

There are not many injury concerns as far as Marco Silva is concerned with the only notable absentee being Neestens Kebano. Sasa Lukic joined from Torino to boost their forward line while Cedric Soares also arrived on deadline day at Craven Cottage o give them an option at the right-back position.

Head-to-Head stats

Matches: 88

Chelsea: 50

Draws: 26

Fulham: 12

Predicted lineup

Chelsea predicted lineup (3-4-3):

Arrizabalaga; Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Badiashile; Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Hall, Cucurella; Mount, Mudryk, Havertz

Fulham predicted lineup (4-3-3):

Leno; Tete, Diop, Ream, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed, Andreas Pereira; Decordova-Reid, Mitrovic, Willian

Prediction

Chelsea have done it all to rebuild their team in terms of personnel but now it is on Graham Potter to deliver the goods and is expected that good times will be returning to Stamford Bridge soon. Also keeping in fact the poor run of Fulham away at this particular venue, we are predicting a narrow victory for Chelsea despite the brilliance in the ranks of Fulham.

Prediction:  Chelsea 2-0 Fulham

Telecast Details

India - Star Sports Select 1, Star Sports Select 2 and Hotstar

USA - NBC Network Television.

UK - BT Sport.

Nigeria - watchsportonline.