The first high-profile fixture of the new Premier League season will take place at Old Trafford tomorrow with Manchester United hosting Chelsea.
The hosts will be high on confidence after an unbeaten pre-season. They have also added much-needed reinforcements to their defence, although many still believe them to be far behind the top 4 of the Premier League.
The visitors have undergone many drastic changes to their regular starting lineup with the transfers of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid and David Luiz to Arsenal during the summer transfer window. The arrival of Frank Lampard in place of Maurizio Sarri has given a much-needed boost to the Chelsea fans after the transfer ban ensured that no new arrival could come to the Bridge.
Team news
Lampard faces quite a few problems ahead of his first big test of the season. The Chelsea legend's decision to let Luiz leave Chelsea for Arsenal on the deadline day has left the Blues with just Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen as proper centre-backs.
N'Golo Kante is expected to be back in the line-up after missing the last couple of matches with injury. Jorginho is also expected to be in the lineup with Lampard favouring the 4-2-3-1.
Brazilian winger Willian is unlikely to feature in the starting lineup after being out with an injury during the Copa America. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Antonio Rudiger and Callum Hudson-Odoi will also remain out of this fixture with injury.
New man Christian Pulisic will also make his first official start for the Blues after making his debut during the pre-season friendlies.
Up front, Lampard will have a major decision to take with both Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud rearing to go.
Suspensions: none
Injuries: Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Antonio Rudiger, Willian
Predicted lineup
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Christensen, Emerson; Jorginho, Kante; Pedro, Pulisic, Barkely; Giroud