Mauricio Pochettino achieved a milestone by fielding Chelsea’s youngest-ever Premier League squad against Crystal Palace during the Wednesday match.
The starting lineup for Chelsea in that game marked the Premier League’s youngest with an average age of 23 years and 21 days, ranking as the eighth youngest lineup in the league’s history.
Christopher Nkunku, who scored his debut Premier League goal against Wolves on Christmas Eve, was part of Mauricio Pochettino’s starting eleven for the first time since his summer arrival at Chelsea. Nkunku was positioned as the number ten, operating just behind Nicolas Jackson
At an average age of 22 years and 284 days, Chelsea’s starting lineup on Wednesday was the youngest in the Premier League since Manchester United’s team faced Crystal Palace in May 2017.
Despite Pochettino’s Chelsea having lost three of their last five Premier League matches, placing them 11th in the table, they aimed to secure a win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday before their final 2023 match at Luton Town on Saturday.
Fielding a youthful XI brings both advantages and disadvantages. While they possess dynamism and agility, their lack of experience might surface in crucial moments, particularly when controlling the game’s pace.
