All eyes will be on Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino to see who he picks at right-back this weekend against Arsenal.
The Blues could realistically use either Reece James, Malo Gusto or Marc Cucurella at right-back on Saturday evening.
Who will get the nod at full-back, though?
Right-back dilemma at Chelsea
Gusto, who’s just 20, is available again post-international break after recently serving a three-game suspension for Chelsea.
Elsewhere, Cucurella has done a stellar job in the previous few games as a stand-in right-back. It could be pretty harsh to drop the 25-year-old defender after his recent form, but it’s worth remembering that he’s a left-back by trade.
Finally, Chelsea captain James would be viewed as the first-choice right-back by most supporters. He’s not played since the opening day due to injury, though.
Chelsea confirmed via their official website earlier this week that James trained alongside his teammates. However, we’re waiting for an official line over whether he can play or not versus Arsenal.
Speaking via his Instagram on Wednesday, James posted a message thanking everyone for being so patient with him during his injury layout. Our guess is a return is very imminent!
Fans want Malo Gusto
A selection of Chelsea supporters on social media believe that Gusto should be starting Saturday’s Premier League fixture at home to Arsenal.
In fairness, Gusto’s been excellent in the games he’s played this season after joining up with the Blues squad in the summer.
The French youngster defends aggressively in 1v1 situations, something which could be handy against Arsenal. In addition, he can get forward and contribute in attack.
It could be a safe bet to start Gusto this weekend in order to avoid rushing James back from injury too quickly. After all, this is why the Blues signed a top quality understudy.
Here are some Chelsea fans discussing Gusto ahead of the London derby with Arsenal:
