Preview
Chelsea’s FA Cup campaign restarts on Sunday with a home tie vs League 1 opposition Scunthorpe. Chelsea will be hoping to avoid another embarrassment like last season’s 4th round home defeat to Bradford. The only trophy Guus Hiddink has won in England is the FA Cup back in 2009, and the Dutchman believes we are capable of winning it again.
Guus Hiddink and the squad will be looking to kick on and turn our season around after our best performance of the season vs Crystal Palace last Sunday. Goals from Oscar, Willian and Diego Costa saw us easily dispatch the Eagles at Selhurst Park, a tough place to go to.
Over the next few weeks Chelsea fans will see if Chelsea really are back and Sunday’s game is the first of 3 back to back home games. During next week we play West Brom then on the Saturday we play Everton, which will be a tough test due to the good football they are playing this season with an inform Lukaku – arguably his best ever form.
Hiddink will hopefully ring the changes and play some of the players who have had few chances this season such as Baba Rahman, Djiloboji, Loftus-Cheek and Kenedy. But at the same time we can’t under estimate Scunthorpe as we need to avoid another cup upset.
Match details
Sunday 10th January, kick at 2:00pm (UK Time) at Stamford Bridge on BT Sport 2.
Recent form and previous meetings
Chelsea have picked up a bit of form in the last 5 games and have only lost 1 which came away against Leicester. We have won 2 (Sunderland and Crystal Palace) and drawn 2 (Watford and Manchester United).
Scunthorpe have the exact same record over the last 5 games having won 2, drawn 2 and lost 1 in all competitions.
Sunday’s game will be the 6th meeting between the sides with the previous 5 meetings ending in two wins for each side and 1 draw.
Team news
Guus Hiddink confirmed today that Radamel Falcao, Loic Remy and Eden Hazard will all be unavailable for the game due to respective injuries.
There are no suspensions for either side.
My prediction
I expect Chelsea to win fairly comfortably on Sunday and I think we will respect Scunthorpe and will not get complacent like season’s defeat to Bradford.
My prediction: Chelsea 3-0 Scunthorpe.
