Full Chelsea squad for Bournemouth clash confirmed as Pochettino makes key final decision
Chelsea will play their final Premier League match of the season at home against Bournemouth on Sunday, hoping to win five straight league games for the first time since March 2022. Following his team’s victory over Brighton in this week’s penultimate game, Mauricio Pochettino is just a few wins away from guaranteeing European participation.
Because of their involvement in the FA Cup final, Manchester United still has some influence over which position secures a spot in the Europa League, therefore the decision is not totally theirs. Erik ten Hag’s team has won two league games in their last 14 games, but Manchester City is a clear favorite for the encounter at Wembley.
Chelsea have taken advantage of this run to put themselves in pole position to finish at least sixth. Should Tottenham lose to Sheffield United there would be an open door for fifth as well.
Despite being a frustration for Pochettino due to the timing, Chelsea will be as close to full strength as they have been all season. Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana, and Robert Sanchez will all miss the game and have a claim to being starters when fit, which sums up the fitness problems encountered for much of the past nine months, but Pochettino will have a strong group to select from regardless.
Captain Reece James will not be able to play after receiving a red card at the Amex Stadium – and will carry out a four-match ban that rolls over into next season – but there is good news elsewhere. Malo Gusto made his first start since April 15 against the Seagulls having been out with injury. He is expected to be involved again.
In midfield there was another appearance for Lesley Ugochukwu having spent five months out with a hamstring problem. Carney Chukwuemeka could also be in the squad after five games missed through injury, he has been in team training for the past week.
Ben Chilwell is ahead of him in making a full return after making the bench against Brighton but he has also been absent from the starting XI for most of 2024. Even whilst lacking match sharpness, these returns have granted Pochettino a level of newfound depth.
The only player unavailable due to new injury worries is Mykhailo Mudryk. He is undergoing concussion protocols after being hit in the face by a stray Tariq Lamptey elbow. The winger was taken off as a concussion substitute and is therefore ruled out for this clash.
Here, football.london has predicted the group Pochettino will select for the match.
Goalkeepers: Djordje Petrovic, Robert Sanchez
Defenders: Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Ben Chilwell, Benoit Badiashile
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher, Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu
Attackers: Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling