Thomas Tuchel has opted to make just one change to his Chelsea side for this afternoon's Premier League clash against Frank Lampard's Everton – which is a must-win for the Toffees in their bid to avoid relegation from the top flight for the first time since 1951.
After Burnley's 2-1 victory over Watford, Everton sit five points from safety with just six matches to play. Victory is imperative. Contrastingly, for Tuchel and his players, today's contest at Goodison Park represents an opportunity to close in on Champions League football for next season.
Chelsea needs just six more points to guarantee their top-four place and Tuchel will almost certainly want that secured with time to spare, so that he can plan accordingly for next month's FA Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley, which will be played just three days after the Blues face Leeds United at Elland Road.
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But first, Everton. And Tuchel has gone with ten of the players who began Thursday's 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. In goal remains Edouard Mendy, and he will play behind a back three that consists of experience and quality in Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, and Antonio Rudiger.
Reece James, who starred against the Reds in midweek, unsurprisingly keeps his place at right wing-back while Marcos Alonso is in at left wing-back. The Spaniard will have a point to prove to Lampard this afternoon after being frozen out by the Chelsea legend during his time in charge at Stamford Bridge.
In midfield comes the only change Tuchel has made with Ruben Loftus-Cheek returning to the midfield in place of N'Golo Kante. Jorginho keeps his spot alongside the England international, and Mateo Kovacic, who returned to training on Thursday having recovered from an ankle ligament injury, is on the substitutes' bench.
Back at Goodison Park, Romelu Lukaku would've been hoping to be handed an opportunity to impress by Tuchel. Instead, the Chelsea head coach has gone with the same trio of attackers who were unable to find the target against Man United on Thursday evening.
Mason Mount starts, as does Timo Werner. Kai Havertz, who Tuchel admitted needs to rediscover his goalscoring touch after the draw at Old Trafford, has been given a chance to do so as he leads the Chelsea attack once more. Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech join Lukaku on the bench.
Chelsea: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger; James, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Alonso; Mount, Werner, Havertz
Chelsea substitutes: Kepa, Chalobah, Sarr, Kovacic, Saul, Kenedy, Pulisic, Ziyech, Lukaku
