Frank Lampard is expected to heavily rotate his Chelsea side for this afternoon’s FA Cup third round tie with Morecambe.
The League Two outfit travel to Stamford Bridge – kick off is at 1.30pm – looking to cause a huge shock and pile further pressure on the Blues boss.
Chelsea have won just once in their last seven matches in all competitions and Lampard’s job has come under increasing scrutiny as a result.
He is, however, expected to make wholesale changes to the side which started the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City last Sunday.
The Chelsea boss will be without three senior players against Morecambe due to injury.
“Reece James is out for the game,” Lampard confirmed on Friday. “He will train with us tomorrow but the game will come too early. Andreas Christensen and N’Golo Kante, too.
“Kante has a minor hamstring injury so will miss this game and is suspended for Fulham next Friday so we’ll get him right."
Kepa Arrizabalaga is expected to start in goal for the Blues. The Spaniard has featured just twice since the arrival of Edouard Mendy in the summer transfer window and the future of the world’s most-expensive goalkeeper remains unclear.
“Well at the moment he's our player and I think the situation is clear, Edou's (Edouard Mendy) come in, he's been playing regularly as the number one for us, “ Lampard explained.
“When Kepa came in for the Champions League game he did well, and he's trained really well. His attitude around the place has been brilliant.
“So I won't be drawn on that one at the moment, he's our player, we'll see how January goes. But I don't want to be alluding to what might or might not be.
In defence, Lampard is likely to start with experience rather than youth. Cesar Azpilicueta should captain the side from right back while Emerson Palmieri is anticipated to line up on the opposite flank.
Thiago Silva won’t feature and his regular partner Kurt Zouma is set to be named on the bench. And with Christensen ruled out, Antonio Rudger and Fikayo Tomori should start in the centre of the back four. The latter has only played five times over the past 12 months.
Jorginho didn’t feature in the defeat to Manchester City and could be deployed at the base of the midfield three with Billy Gilmour and Tino Anjorin both able to feature and thrive ahead of the Italian.
Kai Havertz should be given a start, likely on the right of the front three, having only been a substitute in the previous four Premier League matches. Callum Hudson-Odoi can then take up his favoured role on the left wing.
Tammy Abraham is expected to lead the attack having not played since scoring against Arsenal on Boxing Day.
Youngsters Tino Livramento, Henry Lawrence, Lewis Bate and Jude Soonsup-Bell have trained with the first-team squad this week and may all be included among the substitutes.
If Chelsea have victory secured with time to spare, they may all be handed debuts with Lampard able to make five substitutes.
Predicted Chelsea side: Kepa; Azpiliceuta, Tomori, Rudiger, Emerson; Jorginho, Gilmour, Anjorin; Havertz, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi
