Chelsea kick off their League Cup campaign with a heavy-hitting clash against league champions, Manchester City. Given the scheduling nightmare provided by compacting so many games into a three-month stretch thanks to the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, it is as good of a time as any for both Graham Potter and Pep Guardiola to rotate their squad and introduce some youngsters to “prime time” football.

That is what both managers opted to do today. On Potter’s side, he is giving young talent Lewis Hall another chance to shine 10 months after his professional debut for the Blues in a FA Cup tie against Chesterfield, when Thomas Tuchel was still the boss at the Bridge.

And with some luck, we might get Omari Hutchinson’s debut in Chelsea’s first-team as well following his return to the Blues from Arsenal this summer.

Let’s do this!

Manchester City starting lineup (4-3-3):
Ortega Moreno | Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Gómez | Rodrigo, Gündogan (c), Palmer | Mahrez, Álvarez, Grealish

Substitutes from: Ederson, Phillips, Stones, Ake, Haaland, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Akanji, Foden

Chelsea starting lineup (3-4-3?):
Mendy | Chalobah, Koulibaly, Cucurella | Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic (c), Zakaria, Hall | Ziyech, Broja, Pulisic

Substitutes from: Bettinelli, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Gallagher, Mount, Hutchinson, Sterling, Aubameyang, Havertz

Date / Time: Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 20.00 GMT; 3pm EST; 1:30am IST (next day)
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England England, across the Atlantic Sea

On TV: Sky Sports Main Event (UK); none (USA); none? (India); SuperSport Premier League (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: Sky Go (UK); ESPN+ (USA); none? (India); DStv Now (NGA)

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