Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trevoh Chalonah return but Jorginho has dropped to the bench as Chelsea prepare to host Southampton at Stamford Bridge.
Thomas Tuchel has made five changes to the side that started in the 1-0 UEFA Champions League defeat to Juventus as Chelsea get set to play hosts to Southampton at Stamford Bridge. There are no shuffles in goal, where Edouard Mendy keeps hold of his spot.
In front of him, the three-man central defensive unit sees one change, with Trevoh Chalobah coming in for Andreas Christensen. Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva, though, retain their positions at the back.
Up the Chels! ? @ParimatchGlobal | #CHESOU pic.twitter.com/2hI8DFivgW
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 2, 2021
As for the two wing-backs, captain Cesar Azpilicueta is once again the right wing-back in the absence of Reece James but Marcos Alonso has dropped to the bench, with Ben Chilwell earning a rare start. The midfield double pivot has also been shuffled around a little, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek making his first Premier League start of the season.
Loftus-Cheek lines up alongside Mateo Kovacic, meaning Jorginho has been named among the substitutes. The big news pertaining to the attacking unit is that Mason Mount is fit enough to only be on the bench. In his stead, Callum Hudson-Odoi starts as one of the two players behind Romelu Lukaku, with Timo Werner completing the Chelsea attack.
Chelsea Starting Lineup: Mendy, Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic, Chilwell, Hudson-Odoi, Lukaku, Werner