Chelseavs.Southampton

The Saints were condemned to a heavy 4-0 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, where long-serving defender Jan Bednarek was taken off with an unspecified issue after just 12 minutes.

Juric is still unsure of the severity of the Pole's problem, but he will almost certainly take his place on the sidelines with Ross Stewart (calf), Ryan Fraser (calf) and Adam Lallana (thigh) in midweek.

Furthermore, there are no guarantees that Taylor Harwood-Bellis will return from an ankle injury either, while Jack Stephens was not risked at the weekend having only just returned to training following a concern of his own.

Juric should therefore have no choice but to promote Armel Bella-Kotchap, who ought to line up alongside makeshift centre-backs Joe Aribo and James Bree in front of Aaron Ramsdale.

For the second game in a row, new signing Welington was taken off at half time on Saturday, so Yukinari Sugawara will surely return to the first XI as Kyle Walker-Peters switches flanks.

The Saints have also lost Lesley Ugochukwu for this game - the Chelsea loanee cannot play his parent club - and his absence could open the door for Albert Gronbaek to return to the starting lineup.

Will Smallbone might also bring some fresh legs to the midfield over Tyler Dibling, as Mateus Fernandes is pushed further forward, while Paul Onuachu will expect to kick Cameron Archer out of the XI to reprise his partnership with Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Ramsdale; Aribo, Bella-Kotchap, Bree; Sugawara, Gronbaek, Smallbone, Walker-Peters; Fernandes; Onuachu, Sulemana

Written by

Ben Knapton