Frank Lampard has restored goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea’s starting line-up tonight after being dropped for the club’s previous six matches.
The Blues’ head coach has a difficult balancing act given the need to freshen up his team on the one hand, but also securing a result against the runaway Premier League leaders to keep their hopes of silverware alive.
Compounding that problem even further is an injury list including Andreas Christensen (knock), N’Golo Kante (adductor), Tammy Abraham (ankle), Christian Pulisic (adductor) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (hamstring).
At Bournemouth last weekend, Lampard persevered with three-man defence which made its return against Tottenham and Liverpool.
However, Chelsea employed a back four in their two previous meetings with Jurgen Klopp’s side this season, and do so again tonight.
Michy Batshuayi scored in the win at Hull in the previous round, but Olivier Giroud starts up front. Billy Gilmour starts in midfield.
Chelsea lineup: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Zouma, Alonso, Gilmour, Kovacic, Barkley, Willian, Giroud, Pedro
Subs: Caballero, Tomori, James, Jorginho, Mount, Anjorin, Batshuayi
Liverpool lineup: Adrian, Williams, Van Dijk, Gomez, Robertson, Fabinho, Lallana, Jones, Minamino, Mane, Origi
Subs: Lonergan, Matip, Chirivella, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Firmino, Salah
