Chelsea Predicted XI vs Southampton: Badiashile Replaces Fofana in 4-2-3-1 Formation

Chelsea has now won each of their last three games across all competitions, but unfortunately, only two of their last five league matches. The Blues may be moving in the right direction, but how they perform over the next seven weeks will be crucial in determining where they finish the season.

Chelsea is about to enter the dreaded December-January set of fixtures that has defined their season for several years. In the 2021/22 season, Thomas Tuchel's Blues were top of the Premier League table going into this set of fixtures, but by February, they had dropped to third, and remained there for the rest of the season.

Enzo Maresca's men face bottom-placed Southampton on Wednesday, and as easy as the game may seem, it won't be. Ideally, some players who featured against Aston Villa should get some rest, but it's unclear whether Maresca will deviate from his preferred starting eleven, especially as he looks to distance himself from Arsenal. Here's The Pride of London's predicted lineup for that game:

Robert Sanchez: Goalkeeper

Sanchez now has another clean sheet under his belt, and while it only brings the total to three, it's a clean sheet that will boost his confidence, considering that Villa has one of the more lethal strikers in the league, Ollie Watkins.

Malo Gusto: Right-back

Gusto is likely to return to right-back against Southampton, as he should be able to do a solid job there considering the opposition. Reece James is out until next year with a hamstring injury, and no matter how much Maresca may distrust Gusto, he cannot use Moises Caicedo as a right-back throughout James’s absence.

Benoit Badiashile: Centerback

Badiashile was solid when he replaced Wesley Fofana against Aston Villa. His crisp passing will be key in breaking down Southampton, and his aerial ability will also be important. However, he only won one of three duels against Villa, which is a poor return.

Levi Colwill: Centerback

Colwill will likely retain his place in the starting lineup, even though he is one of the players who could benefit from a rest, particularly as Maresca will want to keep him fresh for tougher matches. Colwill has been very strong in the air this season, though his passing has been solid overall, he has been careless with the ball at times.

Marc Cucurella: Left-back

Cucurella was excellent against Villa. He stood his ground and got the better of his opposite number for much of the match. His performances have earned him a continued place in the side, and he deserves another start.

Enzo Fernandez: Central midfielder

Fernandez was outstanding against Villa, with his deft finish past Emiliano Martinez being the icing on the cake. He has been playing as the more advanced of the two central midfielders, so his passing can be excused. His recent ability to create more chances is a positive development.

Moises Caicedo: Central midfielder

Caicedo is one of those who might need a rest against Southampton, but Lavia also played against Villa, and Caicedo is far too important to rest at this stage, especially as Chelsea looks to distance itself from Arsenal. Lavia has been somewhat underwhelming recently.

Noni Madueke: Right-winger

Neto wasn’t horrible but didn’t shine either. After playing 90 minutes last time out, he should get a rest against the Saints. Madueke, though he didn't have a great game when he came on, did provide an assist. His ability to drive into the box will pose problems for Russell Martin's side.

Cole Palmer: Central attacking midfielder

Palmer is one of the few players Chelsea cannot afford to do without, and while this may lead to him being overplayed, Maresca could avoid this by taking him off around the 55th or 60th minute. Nonetheless, he must start when fit.

Christopher Nkunku: Left-winger

Nkunku has not yet had enough opportunities in the league to prove himself. He has impressed in the cups and the Conference League, but those performances are less significant given the opposition. Therefore, he should be given more chances in the league, starting with Southampton.

Nicolas Jackson: Center forward

Jackson has averaged 0.62 goals per game this season, which is an impressive return. After scoring 14 goals last season, Chelsea fans were unsure if he could build on that. Even the club hierarchy was interested in signing Victor Osimhen, but Jackson has shown that he is up to the task. He needs just seven more goals in the next 25 league games to surpass last season's tally.