Chelsea line up against Manchester City

Chelsea line up against Manchester City

Chelsea hold Premier League football at Stamford Bridge for the first time on Thursday night.

Chelsea are a step closer to playing Champions League football next season after beating Aston Villa 2 – 1 last Sunday and others dropping points.

Chelsea now sit five points away from fifth-put Manchester United and could move to inside one point of Leicester City in third with another triumph on Thursday.

Chelsea can welcome Jorginho once more into the fold after serving his two-suspension against Aston Villa, and the Italian midfielder could return straight into the starting line up again.

Chelsea N’Golo Kante filled in as the holding midfielder on Sunday however could move onto the privilege of the trio, as he has for a significant part of the season until now, with Mateo Kovacic also liable to start regardless of competition from Billy Gilmour, Mason Mount, Ross Barkley and the fit-again Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Christian Pulisic will would like to have earned himself a starting spot having scored against Villa after coming on a substitute, and Olivier Giroud also on target, so will hope to lead the line ahead of Tammy Abraham indeed.

Callum Hudson-Odoi presently battling ankle injury but could be back in action by Thursday night, while Pedro and Willian offer Chelsea further choices in the wide areas.

Frank Lampard could name an unaltered back five to the one which started against Aston Villa, with Andreas Christensen playing alongside Antonio Rudiger at centre back.