Thomas Tuchel has named a near enough full-strength side to take on Malmo in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge this evening.
That means Romelu Lukaku does indeed start despite Tuchel saying that he felt his Belgian striker was being “overplayed” at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Lukaku is joined in the front three by Mason Mount, who starts having been a substitute against Brentford at the weekend, and Timo Werner.
Kai Havertz is once again on the bench for the Blues, as is Hakim Ziyech and also Callum Hudson-Odoi. Saul Niguez is also among the substitutes with Ross Barkley and Reece James.
In midfield, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are the pairing. From Saturday, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mateo Kovacic have dropped out
Ben Chilwell starts at left wing-back in defence as Marcos Alonso is not recalled. One player who is back in the lineup as Antonio Rudiger, who missed the Brentford match though injury but returned to training at the back end of last week.
Thiago Silva also starts having not been involved at the weekend owing to his late return from international duty with Brazil and he lines up alongside Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Edouard Mendy, as expected, starts in goal for Chelsea with Kepa Arrizabalaga remaining on the bench.
Chelsea team: Mendy; Christensen, Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Chilwell; Kante, Jorginho; Mount, Werner, Lukaku.