Chelsea conclude the season with a Premier League game against Watford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.
Thomas Tuchel hasn’t always enjoyed Chelsea’s outings on home turf – chiefly because of the home turf. On the “difficult” Stamford Bridge pitch, Chelsea have collected fewer points than their tally away from home – whatever Sunday’s result.
Here’s the XI Tuchel may field on a field he doesn’t entirely deem fit for the personnel he selects.
Edouard Mendy (GK) – Chelsea and Senegal’s first-choice has kept just two clean sheets in his last 12 Premier League outings at Stamford Bridge.
Cesar Azpilicueta (CB) – With the club captain considering an exit, Tuchel may be inclined to give his skipper one final run out in front of the home faithful.
Thiago Silva (CB) – This season’s oldest Premier League goalscorer has made more appearances under Tuchel than any other coach in his senior career (136).
Antonio Rudiger (CB) – The Real Madrid-bound centre-back may well be given the chance to make his 203rd and final appearance in a Chelsea shirt this weekend.
Reece James (RWB) – This season alone, James has amassed more goals (five) and assists (eight) than he could muster across his first 101 appearances in league football.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (CM) – The 26-year-old spent a fruitful season on loan under current-Watford boss Roy Hodgson while the pair were at Crystal Palace in 2017/18, impressing enough to earn a place in England’s World Cup squad that year.
Jorginho (CM) – Injury to Mateo Kovacic and Tuchel’s general distrust of Saul Niguez has opened a way back into the side for the club’s vice-captain.
Marcos Alonso (LWB) – Across the last six seasons, Alonso has racked up an impressive 25 Premier League goals (no penalties) from an ostensibly defensive position.
Mason Mount (AM) – Still only 23 years of age, Mount is the youngest Chelsea player to ever hit double digits for Premier League goals scored and assists in a season.
Christian Pulisic (AM) – Despite a glut of misses in recent games, Pulisic is enjoying the highest conversion rate of his senior career, finishing off 21% of the chances that fall his way this term.
Romelu Lukaku (ST) – With three goals in his last three Premier League outings, Lukaku has bettered the tally he accrued across his previous 20 appearances in the competition.