Jamie Vardy (£9.9m) makes an instant return to Premier League action following his glute injury in Gameweek 24.
Having been used as a substitute in Leicester’s defeat to Aston Villa in the EFL Cup semi-final, the Foxes hitman returns to lead the line for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Chelsea can also call on their number nine as Tammy Abraham (£7.7m) manages to make Frank Lampard’s XI despite an ankle problem that was causing the striker pain in training. The Chelsea boss said pre-match:
Yeah (I’ve cleared Abraham to play). Sometimes you have to play with a bit of pain.
The type of injury it is, it’s not a muscle injury so you’d hope it’s pain he can deal with and there’s no worries about what might come.
He also appears to have lost patience with Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5.5m), as Willy Caballero (£4.8m) begins in goal after starting for the Blues in their FA Cup fourth-round victory over Hull. Lampard added:
It’s a decision I make. With keepers, you don’t take those ones lightly. They train together, they are are close and it’s one I thought I’d make for this game. I trust in Willy [Caballero], he’s very professional.
Reece James (£5.0m) is another injury returnee at right-back, while Mason Mount (£6.1m) is preferred ahead of Mateo Kovacic (£5.3m) in midfield and Pedro (£6.8m) earns a rare start as Willian (£7.2m) drops to the bench. Asked about the latter decision, Lampard explained:
Yeah, a little bit (benching Willian is to keep it fresh). With Willian he’s had some big moments for this club and it’s time for Pedro to have some.
On the opposite flank, Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.3m) starts for the fourth league game in a row. The winger also played 68 minutes in that cup win.
For the home side, Wilfred Ndidi (£5.0m) was set to start but a knee issue means the midfielder is not part of Leicester’s matchday 18 at the King Power stadium. On the Nigerian, Rodgers said:
He’s felt a pain in his knee, he recently had an operation but was alright against Villa.
We had him in to play but it’s become very sore. Rather than him go out in the warm-up we thought we’d leave it. We don’t want any long-term problems.
Hamza Choudhury (£4.3m) has been brought in by Rodgers to take up Leicester’s defensive midfield spot.
Leicester XI (4-1-4-1): Schmeichel; Chilwell, Evans, Soyuncu, Ricardo Pereira; Choudhury; Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Perez; Vardy.
Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Caballero; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, James; Mount, Jorginho, Kanté; Pedro, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi.
4 years, 2 months agoVaaaaaardy