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Chelsea vs. Tottenham lineups confirmed as Joao Pedro, Dominic Solanke, Geovany Quenda decisions revealed
Pedro, Solanke, Quenda calls: Chelsea-Spurs lineups confirmed!

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed their starting lineups for Saturday's Premier League London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Blues boss Xabi Alonso has made two changes to the team that began last weekend's 2-0 win over Everton, and there is no Joao Pedro in the hosts' squad to face Spurs.

The Brazilian completed 92 minutes of last weekend's triumph at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and his absence from the ranks is yet to be explained by Alonso.

Pedro's omission deprives Chelsea of a man with five goals and three assists in six Premier League matches this season, but rather than replace him with a like-for-like striker in Danny Welbeck, Alonso has handed a surprise start to Geovany Quenda.

The 19-year-old winger makes his full Premier League debut at Stamford Bridge and joins Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers in the front three; the latter is ostensibly set to operate as a false nine.

Chelsea's only other alteration from their triumph at Everton is an inevitable one, as Mike Penders replaces first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after the Argentine suffered a broken jaw last weekend.

Chelsea vs. Tottenham lineups: No Joao Pedro as Spurs make two changes

As for Tottenham, Roberto De Zerbi has also made two changes to the team that started Monday's 3-1 win over Coventry City, the Lilywhites' first top-flight triumph of the season.

Spurs have lost former Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo to the calf injury he picked up against the Sky Blues, so De Zerbi has seemingly switched to a back four with Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven operating centrally.

In Tosin's place, Mateus Fernandes comes back into the starting side alongside Sandro Tonali in midfield, and there is another role in the number 10 slot for James Maddison.

The second Tottenham change sees Mathys Tel replace Dominic Solanke, an alteration that will free up Omar Marmoush to operate as the visitors' number nine.

Pedro Porro is back on the Tottenham bench after recovering from a muscular injury, joining Dejan Kulusevski and ex-Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher in the away dugout.

Chelsea can move level on points with third-placed Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League table by taking all three points against Tottenham, who conversely could rise from 19th to 11th with a first away top-flight success this term.

Chelsea XI: Penders; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, Caicedo, Henderson, Hato; Palmer, Quenda; Rogers

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Fofana, Gusto, Palestra, Barco, Lavia, Nicoll-Jazuli, Estevao, Welbeck

Tottenham XI: Kinsky; Gray, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Robertson; Fernandes, Tonali; Kudus, Maddison, Tel; Marmoush

Subs: Dubravka, Senesi, Gallagher, Solanke, Kulusevski, Porro, Davies, Olusesi, Williams-Barnett

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