Bruno Saltor makes two changes for first game in charge
Bruno Saltor makes two changes for first game in charge as Chelsea take on Liverpool following Graham Potter’s departure on Sunday as N’Golo Kante makes his first start since August
- Chelsea take on Liverpool in their first game since Graham Potter was sacked
- Trevoh Chalobah had appeared to be convinced ahead of Aston Villa he was in
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains frozen out despite Potter’s departure
Bruno Saltor has made two changes to the Chelsea’s starting line-up as the interim boss prepares to begin life without Graham Potter against Liverpool on Tuesday night.
At the same time Potter was sacked as head coach on Sunday, the Blues announced that Saltor would be taking over first-team duties on an interim basis until the club carries out a thorough search for a new boss – the third in less than a year of the new ownership’s reign.
In his first game at the helm Bruno is pitting his wits against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, and the 42-year-old has made two changes to the side which lost 2-0 to Aston Villa on Saturday.
N’Golo Kante is handed his first start since August after finally returning from a long-term hamstring injury, while Wesley Fofana comes in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek as Reece James shifts over to right-wing back.
N’Golo Kante makes his return to the Chelsea starting XI for the visit of Liverpool on Tuesday
Wesley Fofana has also been recalled as the post-Graham Potter era begins in earnest
Bruno Saltor has named his first Blues line-up since being named as their interim manager
Mykhailo Mudryk drops to the bench for Kante, having largely disappointed following his big-money move from Shakhtar Donetsk in January. The Frenchman captains the side.
Potter’s reign was marred in the end by supporter discontent and a seeming inability to settle on a preferred XI.
Trevoh Chalobah’s non-selection on Saturday somewhat typified his failings on a tactical front, with the defender left bemused to not be selected for the clash against Aston Villa.
It is believed Chalobah had been run through his tactical instructions as well as his duties on set plays before the game, only to see James start ahead of him at right centre-back.
Mason Mount, who continues to stall over a new deal with a summer departure looking ever-more likely, once again takes up a position on the bench. He has not started a Premier League game for the Blues since a victory over Southampton in February.
Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk misses out for Liverpool through illness. The Dutch defender came in for widespread criticism following Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday.
Chelsea XI (3-5-2): Kepa; Fofana, Koulibaly, Cucurella; James, Kovacic, Kante, Fernandez, Chilwell; Felix, Havertz
Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Gomez, Matip, Konate, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Jones; Jota, Nunez, Firmino
Mason Mount – whose future at Chelsea is very much up in the air – continues to be left out
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