CHELSEA could line-up without new signing Saul Niguez against Zenit on Tuesday after he struggled on his Blues debut.

Saul, 26, was hauled off at half-time in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa.

The Spaniard struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League – he was dispossessed three times and won just one of his eight duels.

Jorginho replaced him and gave Chelsea a solid footing in the second half, with midfield partner Mateo Kovacic grabbing an assist before scoring Chelsea's second.

That midfield duo could start for Thomas Tuchel on Tuesday, particularly as N'Golo Kante is still out injured.

There may be other changes for the European champions as they begin the campaign to defend their title.

Mason Mount was left out against Villa but should be well-rested to take on Zenit.

He could be joined by Reece James, whose suspension ruled him out at the weekend.

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But with Tuchel opting for Callum Hudson-Odoi's pace and attacking flair on Saturday, it is possible the youngster will retain his place in the side.

If wholesale changes are made then Romelu Lukaku is another name who could be rested – Timo Werner could come in after replacing the Belgian as a substitute in recent matches.

Trevor Chalobah could be recalled after impressing so far this season while Ben Chilwell may also make a rare start.

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