Chelsea’s hopes of a Premier League title may have faltered, but they’ll aim to steady the ship with a safe passage into the FA Cup fourth round as they host Morecambe in Saturday’s third-round clash.
While Chelsea enter the competition at this stage, Morecambe have already battled through earlier rounds, defeating Worthing and Bradford City to earn their day under the bright lights at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has spent weeks tempering expectations about his team’s title chances, and recent results might validate his caution. Whether his remarks were clever mind games or genuine assessments, Chelsea’s recent form has left fans questioning their once-promising campaign.
After an impressive eight-game winning streak across all competitions from late November to mid-December, the Blues have hit a rough patch. They’ve gone winless in their last four outings, collecting just two points from a possible 12 in the Premier League. Scoring has become a particular issue, with just two goals in their last four matches. Even Cole Palmer’s opener against Crystal Palace last weekend wasn’t enough, as Jean-Philippe Mateta’s equalizer forced a 1-1 draw.
That result left Chelsea 10 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who still have a game in hand, and facing pressure from Newcastle United and Manchester City in the race for Champions League spots.
Despite their struggles, Chelsea are firm favorites to avoid an FA Cup upset. They’ve won 35 of their last 36 ties against lower-league opposition in the competition, with their only slip-up being a 4-2 defeat to Bradford City in 2015. Their 80% win rate in third-round matches is also the best of any team with at least 10 appearances at this stage.
On the other hand, Morecambe arrive in West London looking to make history. The Shrimps have never progressed beyond the third round but have matched their best-ever FA Cup performance by reaching this stage for the fourth time in five seasons. A convincing win over Worthing and a narrow 1-0 victory against Bradford City, courtesy of a Jordan Slew goal, earned them this trip to Stamford Bridge.
However, consistency has eluded Derek Adams’ side. After advancing to the third round, Morecambe endured a five-game winless run. They’ve recently found some form with victories over Carlisle United and Tranmere Rovers, but their position in the League Two relegation zone remains dire. Sitting four points below safety with a game in hand, the Shrimps face an uphill battle to secure their league survival.
Morecambe’s best hope for a shock lies in their impressive away form, with 14 of their 20 league points coming on the road. They’ll need every bit of that resilience to pull off a giant-killing at Stamford Bridge, though history is not on their side. The last time these two teams met at this stage, Frank Lampard’s Chelsea cruised to a 4-0 win.
While Morecambe dream of an FA Cup fairytale, Chelsea will look to make light work of their lower-league opponents and use the tie as a springboard to rediscover their winning ways.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca and Wesley Fofana recently found themselves in the spotlight over a disagreement about the defender’s injury status. Maresca suggested that Fofana could miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring issue, but the Frenchman disputed that claim, insisting he would be back in four to six weeks.
Despite Fofana's optimism, he remains unavailable for this match, along with Omari Kellyman (hamstring), Mykhaylo Mudryk (suspension), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (undisclosed), and Benoît Badiashile (thigh). On the brighter side, both Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Carney Chukwuemeka (illness) are expected to return to the squad.
As with their Conference League games, Chelsea are set to heavily rotate their lineup against Morecambe. However, Ben Chilwell and Cesare Casadei won’t feature, as they look to finalize moves away from Stamford Bridge.
On the visitors’ side, Morecambe manager Derek Adams is likely to stick with the team that secured a recent win over Tranmere. This includes Liverpool loanee Rhys Williams, who has extended his stay with the Shrimps until the end of the season. Another familiar face from Anfield, Adam Lewis, could line up alongside Williams in defense.
Lewis, who started the second-round win over Bradford, boasts an impressive five assists this season—more than any of his teammates. Meanwhile, winger Ben Tollitt remains Morecambe’s biggest attacking threat, leading the team with eight goals across all competitions.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Jorgensen; James, Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Veiga; Lavia, Chukwuemeka; Madueke, Nkunku, Felix; Guiu
Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Burgoyne; Hendrie, Williams, Stott, Lewis; Jones, White; Tollitt, Songo'o, Edwards; Slew
EXPERT PREDICTION
Chelsea 4-0 Morecambe
Chelsea’s recent Premier League struggles may have dimmed their shine, but even a rotated lineup under Maresca is expected to dispatch Morecambe with ease.
The Shrimps face an uphill battle not only to compete but to score, as their last six defeats have all ended without them finding the back of the net.
