Santos, Chukwuemeka And Sanchez To Start, Gallagher On The Bench: Chelsea’s Predicted XI To Face Liverpool

After a crazy summer in the transfer market, some Chelsea fans may be keen to get back to watching what’s happening on the pitch.

It has been a positive pre-season under the guidance of new manager Mauricio Pochettino and there is definitely cause for optimism.

While the team the Blues put out on Sunday won’t necessarily be the strongest they field this campaign, it is still good enough to get the three points.

Press the next page as we predict Chelsea’s starting lineup to take on Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

GK – Robert Sanchez

Kepa would have been the favourite to start up until earlier this week when it emerged that he was being pursued by both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid on loan.

If the 28-year-old is contemplating his future, Pochettino might decide it is best to select Sanchez instead for the season opener.

There are doubts over whether the £25m signing from Brighton is up to the task of being Chelsea’s number one.

It could well be the case that Sanchez is given an early test to prove his credentials.

RB – Reece James

Pochettino has made his intentions clear by giving the right-back the captain’s armband.

It’s a young squad and it now has a young leader, who has come through the ranks of Cobham and knows what the club is all about.

The main issue for James is staying fit. There are no doubts about his ability, but Chelsea really need him to be on the pitch for the majority of games this season.

If he does remain injury free, it will give the Blues the best possible chance of reaching their objectives.

CB – Thiago Silva

There was some speculation earlier in the summer that the veteran defender was contemplating a return to Brazil.

Luckily, Silva put those rumours to bed pretty early on, and he has committed to playing at least one more season at Stamford Bridge.

Considering the lack of experience in the first team, the 38-year-old’s presence is invaluable.

James, in particular, will look to him for guidance to navigate his first year of captaincy and he couldn’t hope to have a better mentor.

CB – Levi Colwill

Despite all the signings that the Blues have made in recent weeks, getting the 20-year-old to put pen to paper on a new long-term contract is probably the best piece of business the club have done.

Pochettino has already stated that Colwill has the potential to become “one of the greatest centre-backs in England.”

That is high praise indeed but the hype surrounding the centre-back is justified. He has an outstanding future ahead of him.

Partnering Silva in the centre of defence will also provide Colwill with the opportunity to learn from the best.

LB – Ben Chilwell

The fullback is in a similar situation to James in terms of maintaining his fitness.

If Chilwell remains injury-free, he will be Chelsea’s undisputed first choice on the left-hand side of defence.

Marc Cucurella has looked less than convincing in pre-season and, with the Spaniard more comfortable in a back three, there is a case to be made for Ian Maatsen to be Chilwell’s main backup.

For the England international, though, the goal is simple: stay on the pitch!

CM – Andrey Santos

Supporters will be frustrated that the club have not (yet) managed to bring in a senior player to partner Fernandez in midfield, but Santos could surprise a few people.

The Brazilian had an excellent summer, starring for Brazil at the Under 20 World Cup, and he has the energy and tenacity to make an impact in the Premier League.

There is definitely a case to be made for Conor Gallagher to start instead, as he is (currently) Chelsea’s most experienced midfielder, believe it or not.

However, Santos has shown enough in pre-season to deserve a start against Liverpool and Pochettino is not shy of giving youngsters opportunities either.

CM – Enzo Fernandez

A lot rests on the Argentinian’s shoulders heading into the new season. That is to be expected, considering he cost €121m when he arrived from Benfica in January.

Fernandez, arguably, played too deep during his first six months at Stamford Bridge, and many feel we still haven’t seen the best of him.

One of the main tasks of the summer transfer window was to bring in a recognised no.6 in order to let Fernandez off the leash.

That hasn’t happened yet but, if Santos starts alongside him on Sunday, Fernandez will be allowed to move into more advanced positions.

AM – Carney Chukwuemeka

Christopher Nkunku’s knee injury is a hammer blow for Pochettino, with the Frenchman expected to be sidelined for at least three months.

Chelsea will need to go into the market to sign another 10 before the transfer window closes but, for now, it looks as if Chukwuemeka will get the nod.

The 19-year-old is certainly very talented but he is still young, and he will certainly not be able to produce the goals and assists that Nkunku would have.

For the time being, Chukwuemeka is in possession of the jersey and, hopefully, he can put in a few eye-catching displays, starting with Liverpool this weekend.

RW – Raheem Sterling

With Noni Madueke sidelined with injury and Hakim Ziyech expected to leave Chelsea before the end of the month, Sterling could line up on the right flank.

It’s fair to say that the England international didn’t exactly have a great first season at Stamford Bridge, and he will be looking to make more of an impression at the beginning of his second year with the Blues.

After a rather unconvincing pre-season, though, the jury is very much still out on Sterling.

Scoring against his old club on Sunday would help the winger regain some of his confidence, allowing him to start the campaign on the right footing.

CF – Nicolas Jackson

The Senegalese international has been one of the standout players from Chelsea’s pre-season friendlies.

Of course, it is not wise to take too much from performances in non-competitive matches, but Jackson looks perfectly suited to Pochettino’s style of play.

The 22-year-old is prepared to press from the front and he is willing to use his pace to get in behind defences.

Ben Chilwell has already compared Jackson to Jamie Vardy. It remains to be seen whether he can live up to those comparisons.

LW – Mykhailo Mudryk

The Ukrainian has looked sharp in pre-season, but there are still question marks about his consistency.

At the moment, it looks as if you will get one good performance along with two or three bad ones from Mudryk but, with Pochettino at the helm, you do feel he has a great manager to harness his talents.

If Liverpool do play their inverted fullback system, with Trent Alexander-Arnold moving into midfield, Mudryk could have huge amounts of space to run into on the left flank.

Hopefully, the 22-year-old has the end product and the presence of mind to exploit the gaps offered up by their opponents.