Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has handed full debuts to four players in Sunday’s Premier League opener with Liverpool.
The Blues will seemingly line up in a 3-5-2 shape, as Robert Sanchez makes his bow in goal amid Kepa Arrizabalaga’s impending move to Real Madrid on loan.
Two further debutants at the back are Levi Colwill and Axel Disasi, who join the veteran Thiago Silva in front of Sanchez, while Reece James and Ben Chilwell take up the wide positions.
With Christopher Nkunku out for the long-term with a knee injury, Nicolas Jackson earns his first start up front alongside Raheem Sterling, as Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke warm the bench.
As for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has fielded an incredibly attacking team at Stamford Bridge, where all of Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz will feature from the off.
Darwin Nunez is the unfortunate striker to be named on the bench, while two of their own summer signings in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai will join forces in the middle.
Chelsea: Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Colwill; James, Fernandez, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka, Chilwell; Sterling, Jackson
Subs: Bergstrom, Gusto, Cucurella, Maatsen, Santos, Ugochukwu, Mudryk, Madueke, Burstow
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Diaz; Jota
Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Matip, Tsimikas, McConnell, Jones, Elliott, Doak, Nunez
Some moments of the game:
What a massive moment for Disasi and for Chelsea.
A clever header back into the middle from Chilwell and Disasi has just stayed in there from the corner.
A scruffy finish, just stabs his foot at the ball and it bobbles in.
Poor from Liverpool, got caught switching off on the second phase.
DISALLOWED GOAL
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Ben Chilwell had just drifted offside and the goal is ruled out. A reprieve for Liverpool, but my oh my what a game this is.
GOAL – Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
Ben Chilwell breaks clear of the defence and rounds Alisson to score.
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool
Axel Disasi
A debut strike for Axel Disasi!
Liverpool don’t clear the corner and the ball is sent back in, another header away is only as far as Ben Chilwell, who nods on for Disasi to stretch out a boot and fire in the equaliser.
DISALLOWED GOAL
Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool
Huge cheer from the home fans because the goal is ruled out!
That was very, very close but Mohamed Salah is deemed to have been just offside.
GOAL – Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool
Luis Díaz
Superb move and finish!
From Alisson, Liverpool work the ball to Mohamed Salah on the right in three or four passes and then Salah weights a fantastic pass for Luis Diaz to slide in and score at the far post.
