Chelsea vs Barnsley Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

Are the unprecedented levels of fixture congestion making anyone else a bit dizzy at the moment? Well, here's another one, as Chelsea host Barnsley in their first EFL Cup tie of the season.

Frank Lampard might not be delighted at having to play the Tykes just three days after an injury-ravaged Chelsea's ten men had to chase Liverpool around the park, but it represents a nice opportunity for him to rotate a squad which is full of new faces.

Barnsley, meanwhile, provided one of the Championship's great escape stories last season as they toppled the mighty Brentford with minutes left to secure their second-tier survival, and they'll need every ounce of that resilience on Wednesday evening against one of the most stacked squads in English football.

Might Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber and his exciting team be on for one of their most exciting coups yet? Read on for 90min's preview of an intriguing cup tie...


Where to Watch on TV

When is Kick Off? Wednesday 23 September
What Time is Kick Off? 19:45 (BST)
Where is it Being Played? Stamford Bridge
TV Channel / Live Stream? carabaocup.live
Referee? Darren Bond


Team News

You might want to sit down for this one Chelsea fans, because your injury list isn't at all pretty. Out of the new signings alone, Thiago Silva is regaining fitness after finishing his season with PSG in late August, and is unlikely to start. Ben Chilwell's ankle problems will mean that this game comes too soon, while a knee complaint for Hakim Ziyech means that he also won't be making his debut against Barnsley.

Meanwhile, it will be a matter of months before teenage prodigy Billy Gilmour returns after a knee operation, and Christian Pulisic's comeback from a thigh problem will take a few more days at least. Any Chelsea fans hoping for a sight of the elusive Marco van Ginkel will be kept waiting - the reconstructive surgery the Dutchman had on his ACL means that sadly he has not played football in over two years.

Andreas Christensen will also be absent from this match through suspension after his somewhat ill-judged challenge on Sadio Mane got him sent off against Liverpool.

Barnsley, would you believe it, have no significant injuries or suspensions throughout the entirety of their squad. Some people have all the luck, eh?


Predicted Lineups

Chelsea: Caballero; James, Rudiger, Tomori, Azpilicueta; Barkley, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek; Havertz, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi.

Barnsley: Collins; Andersen, Helik, Sollbauer; Ludewig, Mowatt, Ritzmaier, Williams; Thomas; Woodrow, Frieser.


Recent Form

Chelsea started off their Premier League campaign with an efficient, if rather unconvincing, victory over Brighton, before a loss to Liverpool that was neither efficient nor convincing, though Lampard's army of new signings will be given plenty of time to find their feet.

Barnsley, meanwhile, have shown little inclination to push on from their strong finish to the 2019/20 season, losing their first two Championship games, with their most recent loss to Reading seeing them reduced to nine men.

Their one salvation has in fact been the EFL Cup so far, where they have bested promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest in successive rounds without having conceded a single goal in the process.

Here's a look at how the recent and not-so-recent form of the two sides...

Chelsea

Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool (20/9)
Brighton 1-3 Chelsea (14/9)
Bayern Munich 4-1 Chelsea (8/8)
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (1/8)
Chelsea 2-0 Wolves (26/7)

Barnsley

Reading 2-0 Barnsley (19/9)
Middlesbrough 0-2 Barnsley (15/9)
Barnsley 0-1 Luton (12/9)
Barnsley 1-0 Nottingham Forest (5/9)
Brentford 1-2 Barnsley (22/7)


Prediction

Without meaning to disrespect Barnsley, it would be one of the League Cup's great shocks if Chelsea, even in a somewhat disjointed period, failed to make sure of victory here.

Having said that, Barnsley's miraculous victory over Brentford at the back end of last season clearly showed that they're not afraid of anyone, regardless of how much hype there is around them or how much of a flashy forward line they have.

A tired Chelsea squad certainly won't find it easy dispatching this tactically sophisticated Barnsley side, but expect their young guns to find a way to win here.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Barnsley



Source : 90min