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Football London
Football London
Sport
Adam Newson

Confirmed Chelsea side vs Burnley: Silva returns, Alonso ruled out, Havertz comes in for Lukaku

Thomas Tuchel has made seven changes to his Chelsea side for this afternoon's Premier League clash against Burnley.

After a week in which Roman Abramovich confirmed his intention to sell the club after 19 years as owner – and the Blues progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals – top-flight action can once again take centre stage at Turf Moor.

Chelsea come into the game third in the table. Victory would enable the Blues to open a gap to those sides below them in the race to secure Champions League football.

It's no surprise Tuchel has rung the changes once more – he named a patched-up side for the FA Cup win over Luton Town on Wednesday. The majority of the big-hitters are back in.

That includes Edouard Mendy, who takes the spot of Kepa Arrizabalaga between the posts after the Spaniard started in midweek.

Trevoh Chalobah returns from the groin injury he sustained in the Carabao Cup final and will take up his usual spot on the right of the back three.

Thiago Silva is also back in and will occupy the central defensive role with Antonio Rudiger lining up on the left of the back three.

Reece James begins and right wing-back. It is the England international's first start since suffering a torn hamstring against Brighton at the end of December.

There is a surprise at left wing-back with Saul Niguez selected by Tuchel. football.london understands Marcos Alonso is not in the squad due to illness.

Tuchel has opted to select the same front three that started the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool less than a week ago. That means Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner are only on the bench.

Kai Havertz is back in the starting XI and will spearhead the attack. Mason Mount should be deployed off the right and Christian Pulisic off the left.

Hakim Ziyech is back in the matchday squad after his injury but is only fit enough to make the substitutes bench and it is the same story for Andreas Christensen

Chelsea: Mendy; Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger; James, Kante, Jorginho, Saul; Mount, Havertz, Pulisic.

Chelsea substitutes: Kepa, Kenedy, Christensen, Sarr, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Ziyech, Lukaku, Werner

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