Mauricio Pochettino has been urged to make a significant change to his Chelsea team for Friday’s FA Cup tie against Aston Villa, despite last night’s resounding win over Middlesbrough.
The Blues booked their place in next month’s Carabao Cup final, against either Fulham or Liverpool, with their biggest victory of the season so far.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Chelsea wiped out the deficit within half an hour of the return game at Stamford Bridge.
A Cole Palmer brace and a late goal from Noni Madueke put extra gloss on the final 6-1 scoreline, but there was still some cause for concern.
After another erratic 45 minute display, Mkyhailo Mudryk was hooked at half-time and replaced by Madueke.
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Pochettino explained the decision to hook the £88million signing had more to do with the fact he had been booked in the opening period than his wayward passing.
Frank Leboeuf, however, believes the Chelsea boss cannot afford to risk playing the struggling Mudryk, or indeed Madueke, against Villa in Friday’s FA Cup fourth round tie.
‘I agree with Craig (Burley),’ Leboeuf said reacting to his former Chelsea teammate’s assessment of the former Shakhtar Donetsk winger.
‘Mudryk should go. But I will be more keen to be stronger in the midfield zone. I would put Gallagher instead of Madueke and maybe try to be strong defensively and play on transition and try to counter-attack with Palmer, Sterling and to finish hopefully Broja.
‘That’s the only option that you have. Madueke is a good player, but plays with instinct instead of thinking a little bit more about the game like Mudryk does.
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‘They are talented players for the future with good skills but right now they are far away from what we expect for them.
‘Gallagher will make the midfield zone stronger so it’s why I’d go with that option. But it’s going to be a different game against Villa.’
Burley, meanwhile, added: ‘Mudryk, he makes too many bad decisions to be in this Chelsea side at this moment in time. Whether it’s with or without the ball, his decision making is poor.’
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