Cole Palmer starts for Chelsea at Bournemouth this evening – but bench-warming duty awaits Christopher Nkunku once again.

The clash at the Vitality Stadium kicks off at an unusually late 20:00 BST.

Enzo Maresca has a large squad at his disposal but his only two changes tonight are enforced.

The absence of Malo Gusto was common knowledge, as Maresca ruled him out with a thigh injury on Friday.

We weren’t aware of Enzo Fernandez‘s unavailability, however. He misses out on the south coast, too, due to illness.

Renato Veiga and Axel Disasi replace those two players.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, yet to start a Premier League game for his new club, is also ill and sits this one out.

In less surprising news, Palmer starts despite pulling out of England international duty.

Deadline day loan signing Jadon Sancho has to make do with substitute duty, as does Nkunku for a third successive league match.

Pedro Neto keeps his place on the left flank.

There are two changes for Bournemouth, too.

One is enforced as Chelsea loanee Kepa Arrizzabalaga is ineligible to face his parent club.

The other was perhaps dictated by international duty, as right-back Julian Araujo was a late returnee after representing Mexico in midweek.

Mark Travers gets a recall between the sticks, while Adam Smith is in for the benched Araujo.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Travers; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier; Evanilson.

Subs: Dennis, Huijsen, Brooks, Scott, Sinisterra, Araujo, Hill, Unal, Billing.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Diasi, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Veiga; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.

Subs: Jorgensen, Adarbioyo, Badiashile, Mudryk, Felix, Nkunku, Sancho, Casadei, Guiu.