Chelsea Predicted XI: We predict Frank Lampard’s starting XI Chelsea face Rennes in the Champions League tonight

Chelsea Predicted XI: We predict Frank Lampard’s starting XI Chelsea face Rennes in the Champions League tonight.

Frank Lampard’s spent over £200million in the transfer window, filling his squad with quality players from across Europe.

However, despite an influx of big signings, the Blues’ have been very inconsistent both in terms of performances and results.

There are clearly signs of promise though, with Chelsea recording a solid 3-0 win away at Burnley this weekend to make seven goals scored and none conceded in just two games.

Lampard knows that managing his squad will be one of the most difficult aspects of this season and with relatively easy fixtures coming up over the next four games on paper, we expect Lampard to tinker with his squad.

Tonight they face Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge knowing a victory tonight and again in the return fixture will secure qualification to the knockout stages.

So which players will the ex-England international task with getting a positive result in Europe?

Here we predict Lampard’s starting XI…

Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy has firmly established himself as Lampard and Chelsea’s number one. The shot-stopper has recorded a clean sheet in each of his last four games, which is very impressive by any goalkeeper’s standards. Lampard will not want to rest his in-form keeper, so Mendy is a definite starter for tonight’s encounter. 

Defenders: Lampard will be delighted with his side’s run of clean sheets and will be hoping for the same tonight. He will also be wary of managing his squad to limit injuries so we expect changes tonight. Thiago Silva played very well against Burnley and is likely to be rested tonight. We expect to see Antonio Rudiger start alongside Antonio Christensen in the heart of defence. With Cesar Azplilicueta providing experience at right back and Marcos Alonso given some minutes on the left.

Midfielders: Lampard has so many options to choose from in the midfield positions and usually likes to play three in the middle of the park. N’golo Kante will be given a rest for Jorginho with the Brazilian likely to play alongside Matteo Kovacic and Mason Mount in the middle of the park. Christian Pulisic is injured and we expect Kai Havertz to be rested for tonight’s encounter.

Forwards: Timo Werner was due to start on the bench against Burnley at the weekend and we expect that to happen tonight. Calllum Hudson-Odoi will be given licence to attack down the flank, where we believe Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud will be given the chance to start for Chelsea tonight, as Lampard puts trust in his fringe players to secure the three points.

Predicted XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Alonso, Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi, Giroud.