Chelsea suffer major blow for Arsenal clash as Liam Rosenior without five key stars

The Chelsea team news in full as the Blues take on Arsenal this evening at Stamford Bridge in the first-leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final

Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, Malo Gusto and Reece James have all been left out of the Chelsea squad for the first-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal this evening.

The Blues welcome the Gunners to Stamford Bridge for the first of two matches for a place at Wembley in March. However, newly-appointed Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior is without five key players for tonight's tie, with Palmer, Gusto and James all missing through injury while Moises Caicedo serves his one-match suspension in the competition. Delap is also out, with the reason unknown at the moment.

Caicedo picked up his second yellow card in the Carabao Cup last time out away at Cardiff City, meaning he will sit out of this evening's tie. Palmer, James and Malo Gusto all suffered knocks in the defeat to Fulham seven days ago and only the latter has made tonight's squad.

In total, Rosenior has made eight changes from the XI that beat Charlton Athletic on Saturday evening. Robert Sanchez returns in goal in place of Filip Jorgensen, and the head coach also changes the back line entirely.

Josh Acheampong keeps his place, while Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and and Marc Cucurella come in for Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile and Jorrel Hato. Andrey Santos is the one of three survivors from Chelsea's win at The Valley at the weekend, with Enzo Fernandez replacing the suspended Caicedo.

It looks as if Estevao Willian will start on the right wing with Jamie Gittens dropping out. Joao Pedro replaces Facundo Buonanotte and Pedro Neto comes in for Alejandro Garnacho. Marc Guiu leads the line again.

Chelsea line-up: Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Santos, Enzo; Estevao, Joao Pedro, Neto; Guiu