Graham Potter has thrown new loan signing Joao Felix straight into his starting XI for this evening's Premier League clash against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Felix has joined Chelsea on loan from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season and trained with his new teammates at Cobham yesterday morning. That session, evidently, was enough to convince Potter to bring the Portuguese international into his attack in one of four changes to the side that was beaten by Manchester City in the FA Cup.
Kepa Arrizabalaga continues in goal for the Blues. Edouard Mendy is not in the match-day squad once again after the Senegal international underwent surgery on a fractured finger last week.
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Potter appears to have returned to a back-three system. Trevoh Chalobah is expected to start on the right with Thiago Silva in the middle. January arrival Benoit Badiashile continues to wait for his first appearance with Kalidou Koulibaly set to be deployed on the left.
Cesar Azpilicueta is set to return to the right wing-back role with youngster Lewis Hall on the opposite flank ahead of Marc Cucurella. The centre midfield duo is Mateo Kovacic and Denis Zakaria. Jorginho is only among the substitutes alongside Conor Gallagher
Mason Mount, despite his indifferent form this term, keeps his place and may be used as a number ten behind an attacking pair of Felix and Kai Havertz. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is back in the squad following injury.
Chelsea: Kepa; Chalobah, Silva, Koulibaly; Azpilicueta, Zakaria, Kovacic, Hall; Felix, Havertz, Mount
Chelsea substitutes: Bettinelli, Badiashile, Cucurella, Jorginho, Chukwuemeka, Gallagher, Ziyech, Aubameyang, Fofana
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