Chelsea team news: Christopher Nkunku among seven changes for Southampton game

Christopher Nkunku has been named in a much-changed Chelsea XI for Wednesday's Premier League game at Southampton.

While the France international has starred in cup competitions, he has not featured in the first XI of a Premier League fixture since the opening weekend.

However, Enzo Maresca has changed that for the fixture at St Mary's, making a total of seven alterations to the team that defeated Aston Villa on Sunday.

Nkunku leads the line with Nicolas Jackson dropping to the substitutes' bench, with Noni Madueke and Joao Felix also being drafted into the attack at the expense of Romeo Lavia and Jadon Sancho.

The most notable changes have come in defence, Maresca retaining just Marc Cucurella from the Villa game.

Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen is handed his first Premier League start between the sticks with Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi and Tosin Adarabioyo also coming into the team.

© Imago

Martin forced into Southampton changes

Southampton head coach Russell Martin has also tinkered with his starting lineup, largely due to three players missing out through suspension.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes and Tyler Dibling all collected their fifth yellow cards in the game at Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday.

James Bree, Nathan Wood, Joe Aribo and Ryan Fraser have been drafted into the team, Yukinari Sugawara the other player to drop out of the side.

Southampton XI: Lumley; Walker-Peters, Bree, Stephens, Wood, Manning; Fernandes, Aribo; Armstrong, Archer, Fraser

Subs: McCarthy, Edwards. Sugawara, Taylor, Cornet, O'Brien-Whitmarsh, Amo-Ameyaw, Brereton Diaz, Kamaldeen

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Gusto, Disasi, Tosin, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Joao Felix; Nkunku

Subs: Sanchez, Badiashile, Colwill, Veiga, Dewsbury-Hall, Lavia, Neto, Sancho, Jackson