Aston Villa vs Chelsea team news: Matt Miazga handed debut

John Terry and Gary Cahill not even on the bench

Tom Sheen
Saturday 02 April 2016 06:44 EDT
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Chelsea have completed the signing of Matt Miazga from New York Red Bulls
Chelsea have completed the signing of Matt Miazga from New York Red Bulls (Chelsea FC)

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American central defender Matt Miazga will be handed his Chelsea debut two months after joing from New York Red Bulls.

The 20-year-old, who stands at 6ft 4in and is aleady an international for the US, has only played 42 career matches.

His inclusion games with both John Terry and Gary Cahill missing from the squad - neither player makes the bench, with Guus Hiddink confirming that the pair have minor injuries.

Terry has an Achilles compaint and Cahill was hurt on England duty in the win against Germany, a problem that kept him out of the Netherlands defeat.

Guus Hiddink has named an experimental side for the game at Villa Park with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Kenedy starting, as well as Loic Remy.

Alexandre Pato could make his debut, while Radamel Falcao could play for the first time since October - both have been named on the bench.

For Aston Villa, Jack Grealish, who has not played since January having been exiled by former manager Remi Garde, is back in the team for caretaker Erick Black.

Black makes two changes to the team that lost to Aston Villa in Garde's last in charge, Micah Richards and Carlos Sanchez play in place of Ciaran Clark and Jordan Veretout.

TEAM NEWS:

Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Cissokho, Sanchez, Westwood, Gana, Gil, Gestede, Ayew

Subs: Okore, Bacuna, Sinclair, Veretout, Bunn, Lyden, Grealish.

Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Miazga, Baba, Mikel, Fabregas, Pedro, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Remy.

Subs: Begovic, Jake Clarke-Salter, Matic, Oscar, Traore, Pato, Falcao.

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