After a relatively quiet August, the Thomas Tuchel rotation has begun in earnest this evening.
Chelsea take on Aston Villa in the eighth and final Premier League fixture of the day, with kick-off at Stamford Bridge at 17:30 BST.
International break minutes and forthcoming UEFA Champions League involvement looks to have influenced Tuchel’s team selection, with the Blues boss making six changes from his side’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
Thiago Silva starts after avoiding a FIFA ban, while deadline-day signing Saul Niguez makes his first appearance for the west London side.
Mateo Kovacic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Trevor Chalobah and Hakim Ziyech are also recalled.
Andreas Christensen, Jorginho, Mason Mount and Cesar Azpilicueta all drop to the bench, while Reece James is suspended and N’Golo Kante is injured.
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has almost matched his Chelsea counterpart, making five changes from Gameweek 3 and seemingly sending his troops out in a wing-back system.
Two of the alterations are enforced, with Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia ruled out because of quarantine rules.
Jed Steer lines up in goal, with Ollie Watkins starting for the first time this season and lining up alongside Danny Ings in a two-man attack.
Tyrone Mings, Jacob Ramsey and John McGinn also return to the starting XI.
GAMEWEEK 4 LINE-UPS
Aston Villa XI: Steer, Cash, Targett, Konsa, Mings, Luiz, McGinn, Watkins, Tuanzebe, Ings, Ramsey
Subs: Sinisalo, Sanson, Traore, Young, Nakamba, El Ghazi, Hause, Bailey, Archer.
Chelsea XI: Mendy, Rudiger, Alonso, Silva, Kovacic, Lukaku, Chalobah, Niguez, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Havertz
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Christensen, Jorginho, Werner, Loftus-Cheek, Barkley, Mount, Chilwell, Azpilicueta.
2 years, 7 months agoIs benrahma a rotation risk now?