Man Utd vs Chelsea: Solskjaer and Lampard preview clash
Chelsea are reportedly without four senior players for their FA Cup semi-final meeting with Manchester United. The Blues are out for revenge after three defeats to the Red Devils already this season but will take on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side with depleted options.
Frank Lampard has confirmed that N'Golo Kante is not fit to feature this weekend, denting Chelsea's chances of booking a meeting with Arsenal in the final next month.
The French midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in the win over Watford earlier in July and has missed the Blues' three Premier League matches since.
Lampard had suggested the World Cup winner could potentially return in time to face United but ruled the 29-year-old out in pre-match press conference on Friday.
"N'Golo Kante won't be fit for the match, he's still not right. So he's out," said the Chelsea manager.
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Billy Gilmour is also missing from the travelling party with the Scottish youngster sidelined after undergoing knee surgery.
And there is also supposedly no sign of Marco van Ginkel with the Dutch midfielder working his way back to full fitness after nearly two years on the treatment table.
Michy Batshuayi is named in the 22-man squad but didn't make the final 20 against Norwich and could drop out again here, as could Faustino Anjorin.
Lewis Bate was named on the bench in the 3-0 defeat to Sheffield United but there is no mention of the youngster in the latest report.
Chelsea team news: Billy Gilmour is recovering from knee surgery (Image: GETTY)
Willy Caballero is included and should deputise for Kepa Arrizabalaga between the posts while Lampard could name an unchanged centre-back pairing of Antonio Rudiger and Kurt Zouma.
However, the Chelsea boss may be tempted to rotate in other areas of his starting XI with one eye on the Premier League meeting with Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Blues are currently third in the table, one point ahead of Leicester and Manchester United with two matches remaining.
A pair of wins would secure the west London club a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League next term, but they have the toughest run-in with a final day clash against Wolves following their trip to Anfield.
Chelsea team news: Frank Lampard may choose to rest some of his players ahead of next week (Image: GETTY)
Full Chelsea squad: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Willy Caballero; Cesar Azpilicueta, Reece James, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Kurt Zouma, Marcos Alonso, Emerson Palmieri; Jorginho, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount; Willian, Pedro, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi; Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud, Michy Batshuayi and Faustino Anjorin.
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