Despite the break in the season that has come around yet again via another international break, Mauricio Pochettino’s attention will be firmly on Chelsea’s upcoming Premier League game.
After taking four points and scoring eight goals against Tottenham and Manchester City, their run of fixtures don’t get much easier when they return to club action.
They will travel to Newcastle next time out, and a number of top players will be returning off the back of featuring twice for their counties.
Those who tend to get hit the hardest are those who travel to South America to represent their nations, and unfortunately for Chelsea this will continue to impact two of their biggest players.
Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will both be travelling long distances to meet up with their countries, with the latter preparing for a huge game against Brazil in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
With Chelsea in action just three days later, it is therefore unlikely that the player described earlier this season by Jamie Carragher as ‘world-class’ will be at 100% for the return of the Premier League.
Fernandez should be rested against Newcastle
Therefore, Pochettino should look to replace the 22-year-old and instead look to his depth in an effort to find a suitable cover.
The manager has two clear options of what to do. When Fernandez was last unavailable, he dropped Conor Gallagher deeper to play alongside Caicedo.
This allowed Cole Palmer to sit in front of them, where he impressed greatly behind a front three.
The other option would see the boss go a bit more defensive, starting Lesley Ugochukwu for the second time in the Premier League.
The teenager has looked really promising in his brief appearances this season so far, and certainly looks ready for the challenge of more gametime coming his way at Stamford Bridge.
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