Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has dropped record signing Romelu Lukaku for today’s huge Premier League showdown with Liverpool.
The Belgian striker upset his manager with a recent bombshell interview in which he expressed frustration with life at Stamford Bridge.
As a result, Lukaku has been left out of the squad entirely for a pivotal clash with Liverpool, who will be missing manager Jurgen Klopp following a suspected positive Covid-19 test.
Chelsea have, however, been handed a major double boost after Thiago Silva returned to full training.
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Silva was forced off against Aston Villa with a hamstring injury and it was feared he could be set for a spell on the sidelines but the Brazilian is fit to start today, as is Kai Havertz, who trained this week as he steps up his recovery from illness.
Chelsea are still waiting for scan results to determine how long Reece James will be out after he suffered a torn hamstring in the 1-1 draw with Brighton, but a timeline of around six to eight weeks has been mooted.
Andreas Christensen was also forced off against Brighton and is out. Tuchel has confirmed Ben Chilwell is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Better news for Chelsea is the fact that N’Golo Kante starts in what is a must-win game for both sides as they chase leaders Manchester City.
Chelsea starting XI: Mendy, Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Kante, Alonso, Mount, Havertz, Pulisic
