Kepa Arrizabalaga gets the nod over Edouard Mendy in goal while Timo Werner and Mason Mount start as Chelsea get ready to face Newcastle United.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has made six changes to the side that started against Barnsley in the FA Cup for the Premier League clash against Newcastle United.
Two of the changes come in the backline with captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger returning to the lineup in place of Kurt Zouma and Emerson Palmieri. Andreas Christensen, who was taken off due to a headache against Barnsley, is fit enough to hold on to his starting berth.
Callum Hudson-Odoi and Marcos Alonso are retained as the wing-backs, with Reece James and Ben Chilwell missing out again. However, the big surprise comes in goal where Tuchel has decided to pursue with Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of first-choice custodian Edouard Mendy, with the Senegalese on the bench for the game.
Our starting XI for tonight ?#CHENEW pic.twitter.com/qUd37jTbhq
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 15, 2021
There are a couple of alterations in the middle of the park with Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho returning to the lineup at the expense of N’Golo Kante and Billy Gilmour who started the cup tie at the weekend. Mason Mount also makes a return to the starting XI with Hakim Ziyech dropping out.
Timo Werner is also back in the lineup after missing the cup tie while Tammy Abraham is retained in the side after his heroics against Barnsley. Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud are options on the bench.
Chelsea Starting Lineup: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Hudson-Odoi, Kovacic, Jorginho, Alonso, Mount, Abraham, Werner.
