In his first official starting lineup as Chelsea’s head coach, Enzo Maresca has selected Marc Cucurella, Cole Palmer, and Nicolas Jackson. Chelsea’s Premier League campaign gets underway at Stamford Bridge against Manchester City. On the first weekend of the new season, City, the defending champions, will come to west London and give Maresca’s team a serious test.

The Chelsea head coach had a full roster to choose from when choosing his team, with the exception of Reece James, who was suspended. The Blues start Robert Sanchez in goal, and Filip Jorgensen, who was signed in the summer, is listed on the bench of nine substitutes.

Robert Sanchez starts in goal for the Blues, with summer signing Filip Jorgensen named on the nine-strong substitutes’ bench.

Malo Gusto starts at right-back and there is a first Premier League appearance in 448 days for Wesley Fofana at centre-back. The Frenchman is partnered in the heart of defence by Levi Colwill while Marc Cucurella is named at left-back.

Romeo Lavia makes his first Premier League start for the Blues and will be joined in a midfield two by Moises Caicedo. Enzo Fernandez is expected to be played further ahead of the duo and captains the side.

Cole Palmer returns to the Chelsea attack and will be deployed alongside Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.

Summer signings Tosin Adarabioyo, Renato Veiga, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Pedro Neto and Marc Guiu have been named on the bench.

Chelsea: Sanchez: Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez (C), Nkunku; Jackson

Chelsea substitutes: Jorgensen, Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga, Dewsbury-Hall, Mudryk, Neto, Madueke, Guiu

Man City: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Doku, Savinho, Haaland

Man City substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Walker, Stones, Ake, Grealish, Nunes, Foden, O’Reilly, McAtee