Chelsea: Combined XI in FA Cup against Leicester City

Defensive Midfield: N’Golo Kante, Chelsea

N’Golo Kante is a shoe-in for a central midfield spot in this combined XI. He provides great energy on the field and is one of the best central defensive midfielders in the world. His speed, vision and great defending ability have been the keys to his long-term success stretching back to his days at Leicester City. He’s played a vital role in some of the club’s biggest matches and his versatility makes him an option to start at multiple midfield positions. Kante has missed a good portion of the season due to injury, but he has been a force to reckon with on the pitch aside from that. He’s beloved by both sets of fans and his inclusion on this list makes one wonder what Brendan Rodgers would give to have Kante in his midfield.

Defensive Midfield: Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester City

Wilfred Ndidi is Kante’s replacement at Leicester in the center of midfield and what a replacement he’s been. Aside from Kante, Ndidi may just be the best defensive mid in the Premier League. The reason he fits so well into the Foxes scheme is because he plays quite deep, similar to Kante. Ndidi is undoubtedly one of the best tacklers in the world and currently ranks third in the Premier League for that statistical category. Ndidi has an underrated passing ability, but usually goes unnoticed because he does not really set up any goals for the Foxes. His main role is to stay further back and defend, which is something he does exceptionally well.

Central Midfield: James Maddison, Leicester City

James Maddison has quickly turned into one of Leicester City’s best—and consequently most sought after—players. Maddison has played a part in a fair share of goals and assists this season. As of late, he has not scored or assisted much, contributing to the Foxes’ struggles. It does not seem like a drop in the quality of play, but rather a frustrated period of not scoring spanning five months.