Chelsea v Leeds United team news - Two changes for injury-hit Whites but Pascal Struijk misses out

Pascal Struijk is still missing for Leeds who were already without injured quartet Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper and Rodrigo plus Robin Koch who has been unwell.

Phillips and Cooper both started last weekend's 2-2 draw at home to Brentford in which Bamford returned from a two-month lay off due to an ankle injury as a second-half substitute.

The striker bagged a 95th minute equaliser but was one of three Whites players to inure their hamstring in the contest along with Phillips and Cooper.

Struijk also missed the clash against the Bees due to a hip issue and is again not involved so Shackleton replaces Cooper in the back line, Luke Ayling likely to shift over to centre-back.

Mateusz Klich replaced Phillips against the Bees but the Pole stays on the bench as Harrison starts.

Teen striker Joe Gelhardt is back on the bench having missed the Brentford contest due to a dead leg suffered playing for United's under-23s on the Friday night.

With club captain Cooper missing, Ayling captains the Whites in his 200th appearance for the club.

Star striker Romelu Lukaku is only the bench for Chelsea having made his first start since twisting his ankle in October in Wednesday night's Champions League clash against Zenit in Russia.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel made eight changes for the midweek clash but now makes another seven alterations as Edouard Mendy, Antonio Rudiger, Jorginho, Thiago Silva, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Marcos Alonso and Kai Havertz all return.

The Blues are missing N'Golo Kante (thigh), Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring), long-term absentee Ben Chilwell (knee) and Mateo Kovacic (Covid-19).

Chelsea: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger; James, Alonso, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek; Mount, Werner, Havertz. Subs: Arrizabalaga, Christensen, Sarr, Barkley, Saul, Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, Ziyech, Lukaku.

Leeds United: Meslier, Shackleton, Ayling, Llorente, Firpo, Forshaw, Dallas, Raphinha, Harrison, Roberts, James. Subs: Klaesson, Drameh, Cresswell, McCarron, Jenkins, McKinstry, Klich, Summerville, Gelhardt.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/yorkshire-evening-post-launch-leeds-united-only-digital-subscription-ahead-premier-league-campaign-2967964

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Thank you Laura Collins