Chelsea predicted XI for Hull as Caicedo call divides experts
Football.london’s Bobby Vincent and Matt Maltby both expect wholesale changes to Chelsea’s XI for Hull City, with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro nailed on to start, while Moises Caicedo’s involvement remains a fitness call rather than a done deal.
What the two contributors are predicting
Hull City arrive at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon unbeaten in the league, sitting on seven points from a possible nine and yet to concede a Premier League goal this season. Chelsea, by contrast, have the division’s best attack, with eight league goals already banked and six more added in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Leeds United.
That Leeds performance, according to football.london, saw Xabi Alonso experiment heavily before leaning on his senior players in the second half. Both Bobby Vincent and Matt Maltby expect that experiment to be shelved for Hull, with Emiliano Martinez, Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Pedro Neto and Reece James all featuring in their predicted back six, alongside Palmer, Rogers and Joao Pedro up top. You can catch up on the injury picture from that Leeds tie and the club’s broader defensive fitness updates heading into the weekend.
Why Caicedo is the key call
The uncertainty centres on Caicedo. Alonso has already admitted he made a mistake rushing the midfielder back for last month’s win over Brighton, a match Caicedo limped out of late on, as covered in our recent Chelsea injury update.
That history has both writers hedging. Maltby says Caicedo has to start if fit, pairing him with James in a four-man midfield, while Vincent goes further and includes him outright, suggesting Alonso may look to get an hour out of his star man rather than a full 90.
Where the pair genuinely split is left wing-back. Vincent has Jorrel Hato reclaiming the spot after a run of starts there, while Maltby wants Pep Chavarria to get a look-in against what he calls weaker opposition. Both settle on a 3-4-3 shape, and both agree Mike Penders makes way for Martinez in goal.
Bobby Vincent’s XI (3-4-3): Martinez; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Caicedo, James, Hato; Palmer, Rogers, Joao Pedro. Matt Maltby’s XI (3-4-3): Martinez; Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Caicedo, James, Chavarria; Palmer, Rogers, Joao Pedro.
None of this is confirmed by the club. Alonso’s actual team sheet, due out Saturday afternoon, will settle whether Caicedo starts or is managed to a cameo, and whether Hato or Chavarria gets the nod on the left.
