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Football London
Football London
Sport
Alan Smith

Southampton vs Chelsea depth chart: Frank Lampard's big calls over Reece James and Mateo Kovacic

Three wins in eight days have given Chelsea some good momentum heading into the final game before the international break but how will Frank Lampard set his team up away to Southampton on Sunday afternoon?

The head coach made another surprise decision by putting Reece James in from the start against Lille on Wednesday night, returning to a three-man defence.

Southampton's Ralph Hasenhuttl favours a similar system and there may be a temptation for the visitors to match up at St Mary's.

Here is who Lampard will be considering for selection over the next couple of days.

Goalkeeper

Kepa will rue the manner in which Chelsea conceded against Lille, though it is hard to blame him for the sloppy marking from yet another set piece. He had kept a first clean sheet of the campaign against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday. Willy Caballero will have to wait for the Carabao Cup game against Manchester United at the end of the month for his next opportunity.

Defence

Back three or back four? Lampard may opt for the former as it's the system favoured by Southampton and, if so, new England call-up Fikayo Tomori and Cesar Azpilicueta will start on the left and right respectively. Predicting whether Andreas Christensen or Kurt Zouma start in the middle is a tad more difficult.

If Chelsea start with a back four, expect Azpilcueta to move to right back with Reece James dropping to the substitutes' bench while the central pairing will be Tomori plus one of Christensen or Zouma. Marcos Alonso will operate on the left regardless owing to Emerson Palmieri's injury.

Antonio Rudiger remains sidelined by a groin injury.

Midfield

Another selection puzzle here after Lampard used N'Golo Kante and Jorginho as a pair against Lille for the first time. They should both start against Southampton, fitness permitting, but it is hard to predict whether they will be joined by a third player or not.

If so Mateo Kovacic will be the most likely, although Ross Barkley could be recalled after failing to make the bench in France.

Attacking midfield

Willian and Mason Mount appear certain on to start, with Callum Hudson-Odoi the first option off the bench. Pedro Rodriguez looks to be next on the pecking order with Christian Pulisic now fighting for a place on the substitutes' bench.

Striker

Tammy Abraham is going from strength to strength but Lampard has warned that the moment his level drops, Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud will be waiting to take his place.

Both were on the bench in Lille but have even found time off the bench sparing in recent weeks - Batshuayi's appearance against Grimsby excepted.

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