Chelsea will have Romelu Lukaku available for Saturday's Premier League clash with Aston Villa despite the striker picking up a minor thigh problem while on international duty with Belgium.

Lukaku's injury is not thought to be serious, so he is likely to be in the starting XI this weekend, and the former Inter Milan striker could again be supported by Mason Mount and Kai Havertz.

Reece James is out due to his red card against Liverpool before the international break, so Cesar Azpilicueta could switch to a right-sided wing-back role, with Trevor Chalobah coming into the back three for the home side.

Head coach Thomas Tuchel will need to assess the fitness of N'Golo Kante, who missed the international break with France, and there will not be any risks taken with the midfielder, so Mateo Kovacic could join Jorginho in the middle of the park this weekend.

Saul Niguez is also an option, with the Spain international completing a season-long loan move to Stamford Bridge in the latter stages of the summer transfer window.

Marcos Alonso appears to be in charge of the left-sided wing-back spot, meanwhile, and he is likely to keep out Ben Chilwell once again.

Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi are again set to be on the bench, with all three players struggling to secure starts in the early stages of the new campaign, while Christian Pulisic will miss out with an ankle injury that he suffered on international duty.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Mendy; Christensen, Chalobah, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kovacic, Jorginho, Alonso; Havertz, Lukaku, Mount

Written by
Matt Law