Chelsea will face Norwich in the Premier League with a hefty piece of information weighing over their heads. There will be huge pressure on the Blues, not just because of the fight for the top four but because of the recent news. Roman Abramovich has now been sanctioned. The future of these Chelsea players remain in the balance, and I can only imagine just how heavy this feeling of uncertainty will be.
I can only look to one player to do his best to keep the spirits of the Chelsea faithful high. A player who bleeds blue. That is Mason Mount. The last meet with Norwich saw Mount give one of his most memorable performances. I hope that he will be the shining light out of a dim situation.
Mount has a major job to do tonight, a job that can cement him in pole position for that captain's armband once it becomes vacant. I know it seems that a good performance against Norwich is not particularly captain-worthy, but it's more than that, as I mentioned.
His mentality will be essential to Chelsea's performance. He is often hailed as the engine of the team. Consistent in pressing, tirelessly putting in performances to the best of his ability. We have witnessed a dip in form in recent times, but what player hasn't had their downtimes? It'll be interesting to see if Mount will be up to the task of injecting the squad with the energy that fans at home will need.
I think of players such as Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, who are fighting for their team to grab that last top-four spot. Every match is a cup final for Arsenal. These two youngsters are always seen pushing through in the most difficult games. I admire their resilience and ability to carry such an experienced team. It is more than evident that their love for the club gives them the drive to succeed. I see Mount as that kind of player for Chelsea.
As Arsenal linger in fourth place just five points behind, every Premier League game is a must-win for Chelsea. Including this particular match against a Norwich side fighting for their survival.
The last time the two clubs met, Chelsea thrashed the Canaries 7-0. At the time, Norwich was far from their best, and acquiring three points from them was pretty much assured. They had not won a single game, and Chelsea was simply on fire. I knew that we would beat them but not in the manner in which we did.
Mount took home the match ball with a hat-trick and an assist to his name. It feels like such a long time ago now, but I don't see a reason as to why we cannot replicate a similar performance. I'm not saying I expect another 7-0 thriller, no. I do expect certain individuals to step up.
The Cobham boys owe it to the fans more than anyone. Like it or not, fans will expect the Cobham graduates to turn up in the most challenging times. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trevoh Chalobah are all expected to fight for the badge. Hudson-Odoi and Reece James were both on the score sheet along with Mount in the reverse fixture. With James out due to injury, I expect Hudson-Odoi to conjure a strong performance if chosen to start.
It's not fair to put such pressure on the team's youngsters. If you had asked me last season if I would rely on and put such players in this position, I would have said no. These players still have a long future ahead, with Chelsea and Mount, in particular, could remain with the Blues for a longer period of time.
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