It’s time for some Carabao in our cup, as we deal with injuries and infections and overloads. It’s set to be a bit of an Academy Day for us even as Brentford come in without having played a single match in nearly two weeks due to a COVID shutdown. They see this as a “big opportunity” to progress; we’re just trying to get through another 90 minutes.

I daresay we’re the underdogs.

UPDATE: THREE (3!) full debuts, for Xavier Simons, Harvey Vale, and Jude Soonsup-Bell. Lewis Hall and Charlie Webster are on the bench.

Here we go!

Brentford starting lineup (3-5-2):
Fernández | Pinnock, Jansson, Bech | Henry, Janelt, Jensen, Baptiste, Canós | Mbeumo, Wissa

Substitutes from: Cox, Thompson, Norgaard, Forss, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Toney, Peart-Harris, Stevens

Chelsea starting lineup (3-4-3):
Arrizabalaga | Sarr, Chalobah, Azpilicueta (c) | Alonso, Saúl, Kovacic, Simons | Vale, Soonsup-Bell, Barkley

Substitutes from: Bettinelli, James, Rüdiger, Hall, Jorginho, Kanté, Webster, Mount, Pulisic

Date / Time: December 22, 2021, 19:45 GMT; 2:45pm EST; 1:15am IST (next day)
Venue: Brentford Community Stadium, London, England
Referee: Peter Bankes; no VAR

On TV: none (UK); none (USA); none (India); SuperSport Football (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: none (UK); ESPN+ (USA); Voot (India); DStv Now (NGA)

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Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!