Team News: Marc Cucurella starts in EFL Cup for Chelsea despite Manchester United links

Marc Cucurella - linked with a move to Manchester United - has been handed a start for Chelsea against AFC Wimbledon in the EFL Cup second round.

The Spaniard is allegedly Erik ten Hag's primary target to replace the injured Luke Shaw, with a loan deal expected to go through in the coming days.

However, Cucurella has been handed his first start of the 2023-24 campaign against League Two side AFC Wimbledon with head coach Mauricio Pochettino making seven changes to his starting lineup.

Both Cucurella and Bashir Humphreys have been selected in what appears to be a back four, with Lesley Ugochukwu partnering Conor Gallagher in the centre of the pitch.

Pochettino has gone with a creative three of Diego Moreira, Ian Maatsen - who will line up centrally - and Noni Madueke.

Meanwhile, Mason Burstow comes into the attack for his first Chelsea start having been introduced as a substitute in the two most recent Premier League fixtures.

Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has received a work permit in time to feature on the substitutes' bench, but Pochettino insisted at a press conference on Tuesday that Robert Sanchez would retain his spot between the sticks.

On what is a strong substitutes' bench, 17-year-old left-back Ishe Samuels-Smith has been selected and could make his debut at some point.

Chelsea: Sanchez; Disasi, Colwill, Humphreys, Cucurella; Gallagher, Ugochukwu; Moreira, Maatsen, Madueke; Burstow

Subs: Petrovic, Bergstrom, Gusto, Chilwell, Silva, Samuels-Smith, Caicedo, Fernandez, Jackson

AFC Wimbledon: Bass; Johnson, Tilley, Pell, Davison, Neufville, Pearce, Ball, Williams, Lewis, Ogundere

Subs: Tzanev, Brown, Al-Hamadi, Bugiel, Lock, Sutcliffe, Sasu, Jennings