Christopher Nkunku is handed his first start for Chelsea in Wednesday's Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace.

Since recovering from a knee injury, the playmaker has made two substitute appearances in the space of a week, scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.

With Chelsea suffering selection issues in the final third, the France international has been drafted into the starting lineup in one of five changes to the team.

Benoit Badiashile starts in defence, and Moises Caicedo has recovered from illness to feature in midfield, while Ian Maatsen and Mykhaylo Mudryk have both been handed opportunities in the final third.

Lesley Ugochukwu misses out through injury, and both Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling are suspended, while Thiago Silva and Armando Broja drop to the substitutes' bench.

As many as three academy players are included among the replacements, as is Romeo Lavia who will expect to receive some minutes given that Caicedo is returning from a virus.

Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson has made just the one alteration to the Palace starting lineup from the game against Brighton & Hove Albion last Thursday.

Eberechi Eze is brought back into the team after successfully coming through 20 minutes on his return from a hamstring injury, with Will Hughes dropping down to the bench.

Chelsea: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Colwill; Caicedo, Gallagher; Maatsen, Nkunku, Mudryk; Jackson

Subs: Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Silva, Gilchrist, Lavia, Matos, Castledine, Madueke, Broja

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Clyne, Anderson, Guehi, Mitchell; Richards, Lerma, Eze; Olise, Mateta, Ayew

Subs: Matthews, Tomkins, Adaramola, Riedeweld, Ozoh, Hughes, Schlupp, Ahamada, Franca body check tags ::