Chelsea are set to lock horns with Borussia Monchengladbach at Borussia Park on Saturday in what will be their last pre-season outing.
The Blues have won all of their last four games, which includes their victory over Barcelona. Despite that, it has to be noted that their defence has been far from convincing.
Frank Lampard has been rotating his squad heavily during the pre-season games as he is still searching for his preferred lineup and formation, and we expect the same to continue against Monchengladbach.
Chelsea team news
Antonio Rudiger is still in the process of his recovery following his knee surgery, and the central defender will not be available for the upcoming game.
Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be absent due to their Achilles injury. N’Golo Kante will also not feature owing to his knee injury.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Borussia Monchengladbach (4-2-3-1)
Defence
Kepa Arrizabalaga is expected to start in goal against the German outfit. The custodian will be aiming to be at his physical peak as he is likely to have a busy game in the opening matchday of the Premier League against Manchester United.
At left-back, Marcos Alonso could start as Emerson started in the previous outing. Meanwhile, Cesar Azpilicueta is likely to get the nod from Lampard to start at right-back.
Andreas Christensen and David Luiz are expected to start at the heart of the defence. While Luiz cemented his place in the starting lineup, a good performance from Christensen could help him in doing the same.
Midfield
Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic might get the nod to sit in front of the back four. The midfield duo are more than capable of dictating the tempo of the game, and have the ability to protect the defence as well.
Mason Mount is likely to come into the starting lineup at the expense of Ross Barkley to operate in the central attacking midfielder. It will be interesting to see how the 20-year-old fares, provided he gets the opportunity.
Attack
Tammy Abraham started against RB Salzburg, and Lampard might be inclined to use Michy Batshuayi upfront. The Belgian forward has to step up to give Lampard a headache while selecting his main striker in the upcoming campaign.
While Pedro is expected to start on the right-wing, Christian Pulisic might start on the left flank. The two have been impressive so far in the pre-season, and will be looking to carry on their positive momentum.
