Xabi Alonso takes charge of Chelsea for the first time in the Premier League on Monday as the Blues face Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The fixture also marks the league managerial debut of former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, setting up an intriguing meeting between two Spaniards who previously shared the pitch at Liverpool.
Alonso names strong side for Fulham test
Alonso has made several notable selection decisions for his first competitive league match. Enzo Fernandez has been named among the substitutes despite uncertainty surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge.
The Argentina international is reportedly attracting interest from elsewhere, but Chelsea have maintained a £120 million valuation for the midfielder.
Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Jorrel Hato have been selected in midfield, while Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra have been left out of the matchday squad despite featuring prominently during pre-season.
Chelsea’s starting XI is: Sanchez; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill, Gusto; James, Lavia, Hato; Palmer, Rogers, Joao Pedro.
The substitutes are Penders, Chavarria, Barco, Fernandez, Estevao, Gittens, Neto, Quenda and Welbeck.
Arbeloa faces former Liverpool team-mate
Arbeloa has also named his first Fulham side in the Premier League, with Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey starting at centre-back.
Fulham line up with Leno; Castagne, Bassey, Cuenca, Robinson; Berge, Iwobi, King; Bobb, Gonzalo and Palacios.
The meeting has added significance because Alonso and Arbeloa were team-mates at Liverpool between 2007 and 2009.
They played 46 Premier League matches together during that period, with Liverpool avoiding defeat in all of them.
Both eventually moved to Real Madrid, where their careers continued to develop before taking different paths into management.
