Chelsea are sweating over the fitness of Hakim Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic ahead of Sunday's EFL Cup final with Liverpool at Wembley.

The two players were both forced off early in the second half of Tuesday's Champions League win over Lille, although Thomas Tuchel is still optimistic about the pair's availability.

Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi could also be fit enough for places in the squad, which would leave Ben Chilwell as the Blues' only definite absentee for the contest.

Tuchel has a huge call to make in between the sticks for Sunday, but it would be surprising to see Kepa Arrizabalaga - an ever-present in the EFL Cup this term - not given the nod over Edouard Mendy.

A settled backline should see Thiago Silva, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger form the back three, with Cesar Azpilicueta once again on the right amid James's fitness woes.

Azpilicueta's compatriot Marcos Alonso should bomb down the left flank for the Blues, and a fresh Jorginho ought to partner N'Golo Kante in the middle given Kovacic's issue.

Mason Mount was fit enough for a place on the bench against Lille in midweek, and the England international could now take Ziyech's place on the right as Christian Pulisic continues on the left.

Tuchel made the big decision to drop Romelu Lukaku for the Champions League, and after Kai Havertz opened the scoring against the Ligue 1 champions, the German deserves to get the nod again.

Chelsea possible starting lineup: Kepa; Christensen, Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Alonso; Mount, Pulisic; Havertz

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