Rob Alderman: A large number of the Chelsea team played a lot of minutes at the weekend. Very surprised, and disappointed that Sarri hasn't utilised his squad for this one

Spurs are still struggling to get up to speed in this one, while Chelsea have started with a really good tempo and look most likely to find an opener at this stage.

Chelsea earn the first corner of the game, which is whipped in by Eden Hazard.

The ball falls to Mateo Kovacic on the edge of the penalty area, who acrobatically attacks the ball - though he fails to threaten the target.

Chelsea have now hit the woodwork 18 times in the Premier League this season - which is three more than any other side.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Maurizio Sarri will have plenty of supporters for his decision to drop Kepa Arrizabalaga - he undermined the manager's authority and credibility with his one-man rebellion on Sunday and has been punished.

Sarri will also know much hinges on his big change. He needs Willy Caballero to perform and Chelsea to get a good result as the consequences could be huge for the Italian if it goes wrong.

It's all Chelsea so far and Tottenham need to regather themselves here.

It's exactly the response Maurizio Sarri would have wanted.

Gonzalo Higuain hits the post!

It's a sliced effort using the outside of his boot and it's always moving away from Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

The Frenchman stands rooted to the spot, helpless, as the ball spins away to safety.

It's wasted, however, failing to clear the Spurs wall.

Harry Winks brings down Mateo Kovacic on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area.

This is in a promising position...

Willy Caballero gets his first touch of the evening as Chelsea play the ball about at the back.

Moussa Sissoko then fouls Marcos Alonso to give us the first free-kick of the evening - the first of many, you'd presume.

David Cann: Props to Sarri for dropping Kepa and starting with Caballero tonight – to do otherwise would've really undermined his authority and the concept that no one player is bigger than their club.

Briyan: Dropping Kepa is the right call although in a game of this magnitude you need a strong team. The need to send a message to your players outweighs that though. Big call, good call.

Yousuf: I'm not too sure about Caballero but if tonight goes wrong, I won't blame Sarri. No player is bigger than the team.

A big game which could have big implications for how the season pans out for these two sides.

We're under way at Stamford Bridge!

Mark Lawrenson
Ex-Liverpool defender on BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

I thought Chelsea played well in the Carabao Cup final, but what happened with Kepa Arrizabalaga obviously overshadowed any improvement in their performance.

The problem with what happened is that it gives the impression that the manager is not in control and, on the back of the results he has had, it makes a bad situation even worse.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino also had a frustrating weekend.

It is going to take time for Kane to get back to his best but Spurs are on a tough run. They have got the north London derby against Arsenal coming up at the weekend too.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

Before kick-off Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri spoke to BT Sport about his decision to drop Kepa Arrizabalaga:

"It's a choice. It's a message to my group.

"That we are a group and not 25 players. It's my choice.

"I think he [Willy Caballero] is ready, he has good experience. We are not worried with him."

A mixture of cheers and boos as the stadium announcer reads Kepa Arrizabalaga's name from the team-sheet...

The teams are in the tunnel.

Both sides will be hurting from their respective weekend defeats.

Chelsea admirably went the distance with Man City in the Carabao Cup final, but fell short in the penalty shootout. Their cup final duties do mean they've played one game fewer than their rivals in the race for the top four, however.

Meanwhile, Tottenham's title hopes appear to be hanging by a thread following defeat by Burnley. Failure to win tonight and that will, most likely, be that.

Image source, -

Image source, -

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has dropped Kepa Arrizabalaga to the bench following their bizarre stand-off in Sunday's Carabao Cup final. Willy Caballero starts in goal.

That's one of four changes from the weekend for the hosts, as Marcos Alonso, Mateo Kovacic and Gonzalo Higuain come in for Emerson Palmieri, Ross Barkley and Willian.

Chelsea XI: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Pedro, Higuain, Hazard

Image source, -

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino also makes four changes as his side look to bounce back from defeat at Burnley

Kieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies earn starting places, at the expense of Serge Aurier, Juan Foyth, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose.

Tottenham XI: Lloris, Trippier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Davies, Sissoko, Winks, Eriksen, Lamela, Kane, Son

At the risk of understating the events of last weekend, both Chelsea and Tottenham arrive at Stamford Bridge in intriguing situations this evening.

But the question inevitably on everyone's lips in the build-up to this one was whether goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga would feature for the Blues tonight.

Well, at last, we have our answer.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images