The absence of James and Christensen has caused something of a reshuffle in defence and the wide areas. Thiago Silva returns in the back three after missing the game against Brighton through his own injury, while Trevoh Chalobah is also back in the side.

Antonio Rudiger completes the defensive trio, with captain Cesar Azpilicueta looking set to move forward into a wing-back role. Marcos Alonso comes into the side on the left and N’Golo Kante returns from the start in place of Jorginho to partner Mateo Kovacic in midfield.

With Lukaku not involved, Kai Havertz returns to make his first start since the Premier League win over Leeds on 11 December, joining Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount in the front three.

Edouard Mendy is playing his last game for Chelsea before departing to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.

Liverpool make three changes to the team that lost at Leicester last time out, partly due to Alisson, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino joining manager Jurgen Klopp in testing positive for Covid-19. That means young goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher makes his second Premier League appearance of the season and Ibrahima Konate comes in at centre-back, while James Milner replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield.

Chelsea: Mendy; Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta (c), Kante, Kovacic, Alonso; Mount, Havertz, Pulisic

Substitutes: Kepa, Sarr, Jorginho, Hall, Saul, Barkley, Hudson-Odoi, Vale, Ziyech

Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Milner, Henderson (c), Fabinho; Salah, Jota, Mane

Substitutes: Adrian, Pitaluga, Beck, Williams, Gomez, Jones, Keita, Morton, Oxlade-Chamberlain

Referee: Anthony Taylor

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