With a new manager and a struggling squad, Chelsea faces Charlton. See the lineup aiming for a crucial FA Cup victory.
The FA Cup resumes this weekend, with Chelsea set to face Charlton Athletic in a London derby.
This will be the first meeting between the teams since February 2007, when Frank Lampard scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for Chelsea in the Premier League at The Valley.
This match marks Liam Rosenior's debut as Chelsea manager, following his observation of the midweek defeat at Fulham.
So, how should he line up for his first game in charge?
Filip Jorgensen deserves another start after a solid display against Manchester City.
At right-back, Malo Gusto has played a lot of football of late, and you always have to be cautious with Reece James. Therefore, this feels like a good opportunity for Josh Acheampong to get a start in that position.
In central defence, there isn't a whole lot of choice for Rosenior. Wesley Fofana could come back in, having been on the bench for two of the last three games. However, he will more or less have to be partnered with one of Tosin or Trevoh Chalobah.
Part of the reason for that is that Jorrel Hato will have to play at left-back with Marc Cucurella suspended, meaning he is not an option there. It is clear that there is a lack of depth and quality in the defensive positions.
Due to that aforementioned red card, Andrey Santos' night was cut short against Fulham. As a result, it makes sense for him to get a start in this game. Considering Moises Caicedo missed the game against Manchester City, he could get the start in this one, too.
Off the right, this feels like a good chance to let Estevao play himself back into form. He has found game time hard to come by lately, but this is a good chance for him to show what he can do in Rosenior's first game.
In the number ten, we could see Cole Palmer starting. Similar to Estevao, this is a chance for him to regain some confidence. Although with Palmer it is more a case of not playing well than not playing (much) at all, it also gives him a chance to get back into form.
Then, off the left-hand side, why not give Jamie Gittens a start? It has been a very tough first six months for the winger at Chelsea, so a start here feels a sensible thing to do. A goal or even an assist would be great for his confidence.
Finally, up front, a great chance to let Liam Delap continue. Having scored his first domestic goal against Fulham, he will be eager to add another goal this evening. The 22-year-old worked with Rosenior at Hull City, which will not harm his chances of starting.
So there you go; a mix of rotation and important starters. This won't be an easy game. Charlton manager Nathan Jones knocked Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup with Southampton in 2023, denying his team the chance of winning an unprecedented treble.
Possible Chelsea XI vs Charlton: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Fofana, Tosin, Hato, Santos, Caicedo, Estevao, Palmer, Gittens, Delap.