Chelsea star Cole Palmer will not feature against Gent. The Blues will now be facing the Belgian side in the match day 2 of the UECL. But, the 22-year-old talisman will not be a part of their lineup. Manager Enzo Maresca dropped him from the league phase squad. The decision was made in order to balance game time for the midfielder. As a result, he will be rested. But, the question remains. Who will come in as a replacement for the Englishman? Filling-in for him is certainly not going to be an easy job. It will be interesting to see who Maresca chooses to start against Gent.
Predicted Chelsea lineup without Cole Palmer
As per football.london, we can see Maresca changing the squad completely. Filip Jorgensen would start between the sticks. Disasi, Adarabioyo, Badiashile and Veiga would be the 4 defenders. Then, we expect Casadei and Dewsbury-Hall to occupy the center of the field. Starting on the flanks would be Pedro Neto and Mudryk. So, replacing Cole Palmer in Chelsea lineup would be Joao Felix. Finally, Nkunku shall be starting up-front. Despite it not being their first-team, it still is a pretty quality side. We can expect a victory for the home side for sure.
Will Joao Felix be the right pick?
The 24-year-old was looking good with Barcelona last season. He never really shined at Atletico. But, he is back to the Stamford Bridge now. As of now, he is doing great. As per transfermarkt, he already has 2 G/A in 5 appearances for the Blues. We should also note that he is not starting regularly yet. But, he is still able to contribute a lot. As a result, he will definitely be the right choice to replace Cole Palmer for Chelsea. He is a great player without a doubt. At the same time, he can play in the top teams with ease at his best.
As featured on Chelseanews.com
