LONDON -- David Luiz has been dropped by Antonio Conte for Chelsea's clash with Manchester United, but N'Golo Kante is fit to return after a six-match absence with a hamstring injury.
Andreas Christensen replaces Luiz in the centre of the Chelsea back three and the Brazilian has not even made the substitutes' bench, despite Conte making no reference to him carrying an injury in Friday's prematch news conference.
Kante has not featured for Chelsea since picking up the hamstring problem on France duty at the beginning of October, and without him the Blues have lost to Crystal Palace and taken just one point from two Champions League matches against Roma.
Conte has shifted to a 3-5-2 formation with Pedro Rodriguez making way for Kante and Davide Zappacosta coming in for Antonio Rudiger, whose glaring error at Stadio Olimpico led to Roma's second goal on Wednesday.
Chelsea team: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill (c); Zappacosta, Bakayoko, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Hazard, Morata. #CHEMUN pic.twitter.com/JJz4lg7whi
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 5, 2017
United manager Jose Mourinho has gone with a back three for his return to Stamford Bridge.
Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Eric Bailly have all been selected in the starting XI with Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young as the wing-backs. It is the same five Mourinho used for the 1-0 win over Tottenham at Old Trafford last weekend.
With Paul Pogba still sidelined with a hamstring injury, former Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera are in midfield along with Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Marcus Rashford has been preferred to Anthony Martial in attack while Romelu Lukaku also starts on his return to his former club.
Here it is - today's #MUFC team for #CHEMUN! pic.twitter.com/6DAYhctFT4
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 5, 2017
Marouane Fellaini is fit enough for the bench after missing the last three weeks with a knee ligament strain but Juan Mata is not involved, despite travelling to London with the rest of the squad on Saturday.
Mourinho is looking for his first win at Stamford Bridge as United manager after losing in the Premier League and the FA Cup last season. Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager the last time United won at Chelsea in October 2012.