Chelsea: Three things to look for versus Crystal Palace
By Varun Dani
2. A couple of debuts and a return
After spending nearly, a year being frustrated by his left backs and goalkeepers, Lampard has finally got his desired players in each position. While it took some time due to negotiations and injuries, Ben Chilwell and Edouard Mendy could make their Premier League debuts for the Blues together on Saturday.
The desired duo made solid impressions in the midweek draw/defeat to Spurs. Mendy was the assertive goalkeeping presence the back line has sorely lacked, having aggressively gathered most crosses and made a couple of good saves. Chilwell, on the other hand, looked a lot more assured than Emerson or Alonso ever have at left back. They could be the keys to solving defensive issues that have riddled Lampard’s team for a well over a year, giving the team a much-needed backbone.
A little further up Chilwell’s alley, Pulisic could get some minutes off the bench against Palace as he looks to regain full fitness. It’s no secret Lampard has missed his American talisman as Timo Werner and Kai Havertz have been forced to play on the wings in his absence. As good a signing as either of them might be, they are some way off being as impactful as Chelsea’s Captain America.
After a difficult start to his Chelsea career and some masterful man management by Lampard, Pulisic has been crucial to Chelsea, even in the Champions League this season. Positionally, spiritually and numerically, Pulisic has truly taken over Eden Hazard’s legacy at the club; and dare I say it, he’s on the way to eclipsing that of the Belgian.