Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hürzeler is giving four-goal Diego Gomez a shot at Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon (Saturday 27 September).
The 22-year-old Paraguay international was prolific this week in the 6-0 win at Barnsley in the League Cup but faces a much tougher test today.
Carlos Baleba is down for another start too as he searches for the form that aroused the interest of Manchester United this summer.
Hürzeler has also named Georginio Rutter, Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma and Yasin Ayari in the starting eleven.
Lewis Dunk is due to captain the side which incudes Jan Paul van Hecke, Joel Veltman and Ferdi Kadioglu, with Bart Verbruggen in goal.
The Albion bench includes Stefanos Tzimas, Danny Welbeck, Mats Wieffer, Olivier Boscagli, Diego Coppola, Maxim De Cuyper, Brajan Gruda, James Milner and Jason Steele.
The Chelsea line up is expected to include some familiar faces – from Joao Pedro to Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella.
Pedro has already proved a boon to the Blues and Hürzeler told a press conference: “Joao is a special player. He proved it already in Chelsea. The first games he played well. He scored goals. He’s very good in possession.
“He’s a game-changer for them so we have to defend as a team. We have to defend him as a unit and I’m sure that we are capable of doing that.”
Cole Palmer is absent through injury but former Albion keeper Robert Sanchez, who was sent off four minutes into the defeat at Manchester United last weekend, is down to start.
He served a one-match ban when he missed the 2-1 win over Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup during the week.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3pm.
