Chelsea and Manchester United arrive with the same kind of hole in different places: Chelsea have no João Pedro up front, United are missing Shaw, Dorgu and Ugarte from the left side and the base of midfield. I think the question is which problem is easier to fix. A striker gap can be patched by changing a role, while a midfield anchor and a left-sided defender are harder to replace with a like-for-like. So does Chelsea's attack find a shape without a number nine before United's reshuffled middle settles?
Chelsea first. Our availability list has João Pedro, Lacroix, Reece James, Hato, Gittens, Anselmino and E. Martinez marked out, with Caicedo available. Per OneFPL's preview, Pedro is out for several weeks with a thigh injury, Morgan Rogers has been used centrally, Emegha is back in the cup squad and Welbeck is an option. None is confirmed as the starter, so the front line is genuinely open.
United's side. Our list shows Sesko, Shaw, Ugarte and Dorgu out and Rashford doubtful, with Bruno Fernandes and Mainoo listed as available. OneFPL notes they lost 0-3 to Bournemouth in their previous league game and that Fernandes was an unused substitute there. One game doesn't make a pattern, but with Ugarte gone the midfield in front of that back line has to be rebuilt, and that is the part I'd watch.
Pedro's absence is long, so Chelsea have had time to rehearse an answer. United's list is newer, and their line-up may only settle on the day.
