Although the defeat to Newcastle was not a disaster, it showed the inability of Chelsea's attack to face the home team's solid defense. Enzo Maresca may not have fielded his strongest squad, but if the starting attack is at a standstill in this weekend's match at Old Trafford, what other options does Chelsea have?
Chelsea are in good form but to judge whether the Blues have improved or not, the answer is probably "not yet". The defeats to Liverpool and Newcastle showed that when they are stuck, Chelsea cannot bounce back without Cole Palmer appearing or not having a star moment.
The decision to leave Cole Palmer out of the Newcastle defeat could be understood as Enzo Maresca wanting to keep his player on the pitch ahead of Super Sunday. However, the England star not being on the pitch for even a minute could mean he doesn't have time to warm up.
"At that time, I simply thought Nkunku and Felix were in good form. Palmer could have come on, but at the time of the match, I still reserved my opinion because I saw that it was no longer necessary," Maresca shared.
Sunday's match against Man United will be crucial for Chelsea, not only for the Blues' top-four challenge, but also for Maresca's continued momentum. The Italian has never suffered back-to-back defeats since taking charge at Stamford Bridge. If that happens at Old Trafford, it could start a downward spiral for Chelsea, something Maresca certainly doesn't want.
Chelsea have only 3 days to prepare for the pivotal match of the season. In a round where both Arsenal and Man City lost, the speed of the leading group has slowed down, this is the opportunity for The Blues to break away from the top group if they take advantage of the opportunity.
This season, Chelsea have decided not to set many goals in the Conference League, evidenced by not registering Cole Palmer. They have left the League Cup and if necessary, will continue to the FA Cup to focus on the goal of competing for the Top 4 of the Premier League.
After a disappointing performance at St. James' Park, Chelsea's reserves are unlikely to feature this weekend, so the best Chelsea have to offer will be at Old Trafford. It will be a full-strength side from now until the end of the season.
