Chelsea take on Championship outfit Barnsley at Oakwell Stadium in the 5th round of the FA Cup tonight.
As expected, Thomas Tuchel has rung the changes with Kepa given a chance to impress in goal meaning number one goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is rested. Emerson Palmeiri is also recalled to start in the back three alongside Andreas Christensen while Kurt Zouma comes in with with Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta dropping to the bench.
N’Golo Kante makes his first start under Tuchel and Billy Gilmour lines-up alongside the Frenchman in the middle of the Chelsea midfield tonight. Marcos Alonso replaces Ben Chilwell in the left wing-back position while Callum Hudson-Odoi is recalled on the right with Reece James making way.
Timo Werner is ruled out after picking up a dead leg against Sheffield United at the weekend so Christian Pulisic is handed a recall and Hakim Ziyech comes in for Mason Mount – who’s given the night off.
Olivier Giroud drops to the bench as Tammy Abraham is recalled to lead the line up front for Chelsea while Mateo Kovacic is joined on the bench by youngsters Lewis Bate and Tino Anjorin.
Here are the confirmed line-ups:
Barnsley
Collins, Brittain, Sibbick, Helik, Andersen, Styles, Mowatt, Kane, Chaplin, Woodrow, Adeboyejo.
Subs: Walton, J. Williams, Sollbauer, Moon, Odour, Palmer, Frieser, Dike, Thompson
Chelsea
Kepa, Emerson, Christensen, Zouma, Alonso, Gilmour, Kante, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Pulisic, Abraham
Subs: Caballero, Rudiger, James, Chilwell, Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Bate, Anjorin, Giroud
