Thomas Tuchel has handed Leicester City the advantage in the FA Cup final.
That's according to former Arsenal forward turned Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, who thinks Tuchel's decision to rest players during the week has weakened the Blues' chances of securing their ninth FA Cup.
Tuchel made seven changes for Chelsea's Premier League clash with Arsenal during the week, a 1-0 defeat, and after the game, the German head coach took responsibility for the loss, admitting he had made a mistake.
But according to Merson, the consequences of those changes do not end there, claiming the lack of regularity for the Chelsea players could disrupt their rhythm heading into the FA Cup final.
"Tuchel has been changing his team week in and week out," Merson said in his Daily Star column. "How may times has he ever kept the same team?
"I know you have to try and keep people fresh and it’s been a long season but in a big game like that you have to play your best team.
"Chelsea could end up with two trophies and a top four finish this season. Or they could end up with nothing.
"It’s all on a knife-edge, and they’ve put themselves under pressure.
"It reminds me of when Arsenal used to get to crunch time and their season would be over in a week.
"Chelsea better hope that doesn’t happen to them. It’s advantage Leicester for me at Wembley.
"The Foxes can write their names in history. It’s a massive, massive game for them. How often do Leicester ever get to an FA Cup Final?
"Chelsea do it on a regular basis - and they have an even bigger game to come with the Champions League final. That's a distraction.
"For Leicester, there is no bigger game than this. And they have the players to hurt Chelsea. Jamie Vardy, James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho will all have to be firing on all cylinders for them to win.
"But Leicester will cause Chelsea problems and they will give everything. They don’t get the credit they deserve.
"They won the league not long ago. But they shouldn’t be where they are in the table if you look at the squad and the money other teams have spent.
"It’s a phenomenal job those players have done. I think they are as good a team as they were when they won the league - if not better.
"I think they get taken for granted but Brendan Rodgers has worked wonders and for them to be in a Champions League place and a Cup Final is a phenomenal feat.
"Chelsea should win the final. They have the better players. But they’ve put themselves under pressure - and this is a bigger game for Leicester.
"It’s hard work being in the team and then out of it again, and Tuchel has a big job on to get his players going now."
