Chelsea must learn to play without the injured Joao Pedro before hosting a crisis-hit Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, according to former Blues forward Gus Poyet.
Xabi Alonso's side are firm favourites on paper against a United team that has gone eight games without a win and sits 16th in the Premier League table, just one point above the relegation zone. However, Chelsea's own recent form has dipped following a Carabao Cup exit on penalties to Liverpool and a home defeat to Tottenham last Saturday.
Poyet's warning on Chelsea's attacking setup
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, via Football Betting, Poyet said: "For Chelsea, they need to learn how to set up without Pedro. Against Tottenham the set up didn't work at all, so Alonso must address this issue and then Chelsea can look to get back to the form at the start of the season when goals were flowing."
He added: "For Chelsea, they would think they can beat a Manchester United side who have a lot of troubles and I think they can, but they must be more fluid in attack and get the set up right."
United's troubles and Estevao's case
Michael Carrick survived the sack this week despite the winless run, and the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe held crisis talks with Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox on Monday after United's 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, which followed a 4-1 loss at Como in the Champions League.
Alonso brought in former United striker Danny Welbeck in place of Pedro for the Carabao Cup defeat against Liverpool on Wednesday night, with the veteran likely to lead the line again. Poyet said: "With the way that Alonso has set up in games, I would think that Welbeck may get the chance because he is more of a central striker than Estevao. Though it he plays Rogers through the middle, then Estevao could be on the wing. But looking at the Tottenham game, the forward set up of the team didn't work."
Estevao registered just eight goal involvements in his first season at Chelsea, but his pace and directness troubled full-backs. The 19-year-old Brazilian is yet to start a league game this campaign and has made minimal impact off the bench in a handful of minutes.
