Chelsea will look to take another step toward FA Cup glory when they host League One strugglers Port Vale in the quarter-finals on Saturday at 5:15pm (UK time).
The Blues have exclusively faced lower league opposition in this competition so far, beating Charlton Athletic (5-1), Hull City (4-0) and Wrexham (4-2) to reach this stage for the second time in three years.
Chelsea predicted line-up vs Port Vale
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Badiashile, Hato; Lavia, Essugo; Neto, Estevao, Garnacho; Delap.
Liam Rosenior will likely heavily rotate his side against the side sitting bottom of League One, given the tough battle Chelsea face to qualify for the Champions League next season.
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Chelsea team news vs Port Vale
Robert Sanchez is likely to remain in goal with Filip Jorgensen, though US international Gabriel Slonina will be banging on Rosenior’s door for a senior Chelsea debut against League One opposition.
Enzo Fernandez has been dropped for two games following his comments about Rosenior during the international break, while Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah are not yet ready to return. Jamie Gittens is touch and go but could make the bench.
Levi Colwill is out until the end of May with a torn ACL.
Rosenior insists ‘unity’ remains following rough international break
It’s been a turbulent month for Chelsea, who lost their last four games across all competitions before an international break that brought some unsavoury comments from Fernandez about Rosenior — as well as from Marc Cucurella.
But despite the comments and subsequent sanctions — not to mention dreadful form — Rosenior insists ‘unity’ remains at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea desperately chase Champions League qualification and their first FA Cup title since 2018.
“I’ll make this very, very clear – there is not a rift in the dressing room,” he said. “There’s not a group of players who are not speaking to another group of players. We are together. We go through, and every club goes through, difficult moments in the season. We had a very, very difficult 10 days as a football club in terms of the results, in terms of being out of the Champions League.
“Now’s the time for us to come together, back from the international break, and make sure we commit and perform in the manner that we need to.”