Frank Lampard has made nine changes from the team that drew 1-1 away to Brighton and Hove Albion on New Year's Day, with Ross Barkley set for his first start since October.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Michy Batshuayi and Pedro Rodriguez are also drafted into a new-look forward line for the visit of Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round.
Overall the team is stronger than expected as Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho are reunited in the centre of midfield. Reece James continues at right back, with Fikayo Tomori and Andreas Christensen paired together at centre half. Emerson starts at left back, while Willy Caballero steps in between the posts.
Billy Gilmour had been expected to feature is absent through illness, suffering from a bug that has also infected Lampard and Tomori in the past week.
Tariq Lamptey is named on the bench again, although England Under-21 defender Marc Guehi is not surprisingly omitted having featured in the Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign.
Aside from Lamptey and reserve goalkeeper Jamie Cumming, the bench is quite experienced with Olivier Giroud, Willian, Mason Mount, Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger all available should the Sky Bet Championship side prove a sticky test for a team that has struggled all season at Stamford Bridge.
You can follow all the action in our live blog with Alan Smith and Oliver Harbord .
Chelsea: Willy Caballero; Reece James, Fikayo Tomori, Andreas Christensen, Emerson; Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic; Ross Barkley; Pedro, Michy Batshuayi, Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Substitutes: Jamie Cumming, Antonio Rudiger, Tariq Lamptey, Cesar Azpilicueta, Mason Mount, Willian, Olivier Giroud.
