Mauricio Pochettino has made changes as Chelsea meet Brighton in the Carabao Cup tonight.
Cole Palmer makes his full debut for the club, though goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic remains on the bench as Robert Sanchez starts along with fellow former Brighton stars Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella.
Armando Broja is on the bench again having returned from a long lay-off with a late cameo in the 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa on Sunday.
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Pochettino is excited about the return of the Albania international striker as Nicolas Jackson misfires in front of goal. He said after Sunday’s game: “It was good to see Broja again after nine or 10 months.
“It gives us the possibility to have different options, and those possibilities are good for the team. But he needs to build his confidence also.”
Jackson is available and starts, however, despite picking up his fifth yellow card in six Premier League matches at the weekend. He will serve his suspension against Fulham on Monday night but Malo Gusto is banned for three matches in all competitions after picking up a straight red card for serious foul play.
With Reece James also out injured, Axel Disasi plays at right-back until he returns. The benefit of an extra day of recovery before Fulham will likely lead to an increased workload for the defender as a selection crisis takes hold.
Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Carney Chukwuemeka, Trevoh Chalobah and Marcus Bettinelli are all out injured for Chelsea.
Pochettino’s ability to rotate his squad is limited by his nine absentees but Ian Maatsen, Ben Chilwell and Lesley Ugochukwu all start tonight. Ugochukwu’s selection will give Enzo Fernandez a chance to have some much-needed rest.
Striker Deivid Washington, 18, is among the substitutes and could make his debut after scoring against Manchester City U21s in a recent Premier League 2 win.
Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Disasi, Colwill, Cucurella, Maatsen, Ugochukwu, Caicedo, Mudryk, Palmer, Chilwell, Jackson
Subs: Petrovic, Brooking, Gilchrist, Gallagher, Fernandez, Matos, Sterling, Washington, Broja
Injuries: James, Lavia, Nkunku, Chukwuemeka, Chalobah, Badiashile, W Fofana, Bettinelli
Suspended: Gusto
Time and date: 7.45pm on Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Venue: Stamford Bridge
