CHELSEA could start Willian and Kepa Arrizabalaga for the FA Cup fifth-round clash with Liverpool – with Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic and N’Golo Kante ALL still out.
The Blues are expected to name a near-full-strength team in a bid to book their spot in the quarter-final draw.
Kepa and Willian are set to return for Chelsea vs Liverpool
Kepa is in line to reclaim his No1 spot after being droppedCredit: Getty
Boss Frank Lampard has a number of first-team stars ruled out through injury, but he has admitted he will give everything he’s got to beat the Reds.
Lampard claimed: “We will field a team that gives everything to get into the next round against a very strong Liverpool team.
“The team I put out should give everything to compete with Liverpool, as we have done twice this season.
“We’ve competed very well against them and were probably unfortunate to lose on both occasions. So we have to approach it with the same spirit.
“We want to win [the FA Cup] but winning something is usually a phrase that has gone out of the Premier League unless you are Manchester City or Liverpool, pretty much, in the last couple of years.
“They have made so many strides and gone out on their own slightly so we have to understand that the landscape has changed and try to bridge the gap.”
Amongst the changes, £71.6million stopper Kepa is expected to return to the starting XI having been dropped over his poor form.
Willy Caballero has taken over the No1 spot in recent weeks, but Lampard has been impressed by Kepa’s professionalism in training and could start him for Liverpool.
Lampard revealed: “He’s been professional, as expected. He’s trained well and he’s kept his head down, supported the team.
“I say the same every week because I get asked this every week, but he’s been good.
“Every player here is in control of their destiny in terms of how they play and how they train.
“This is Chelsea and we’re trying to close the gap to the top. There’s nobody who can be relaxed or loose, we’re pushing every day.
“Of course in the summer we look at the group as a whole but we’re not looking beyond the [Liverpool] game.”
Meanwhile, Lampard is expected to persevere with the 3-4-3 formation he’s been running lately.
Andreas Christensen is set to miss out through injury, while Fikayo Tomori may be dropped after an uninspiring game against Bournemouth.
Kurt Zouma and Antonio Rudiger are expected to replace them, joining Cesar Azpilicueta in the back-three.
Reece James and in-form Marcos Alonso should start in the wing-back slots with Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic starting in the heart of midfield.
Jorginho is banned for the next two Premier League games after picking up his tenth yellow card of the season against the Cherries, but is eligible to take on Liverpool.
N’Golo Kante has been ruled out through injury, while in attack Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham are all missing.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is working his way back to full fitness, but will miss out having played 90 minutes for the Under-23s on Monday night.
Willian is expected to start alongside Mason Mount in the attacking midfield positions, with the Brazilian replacing Pedro.
Olivier Giroud is most likely to continue in attack with Abraham out, with Michy Batshuayi on the bench.
Frank Lampard says Kepa he’s in the frame to play against Liverpool
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
