Christian Pulisic on the bench, Mendy starts in Goal, Kai Havertz Starts in Midfield #CHECRY

Edouard Mendy showed some positive signs in the defeat to Spurs and he should get his first Premier League start.

At the back, Thiago Silva will be looking to recover from his mistake at West Brom, with Andreas Christensen the most likely candidate to be his partner.

Ben Chilwell came through his first start on Tuesday and he should get the nod for the first time in the Premier League for the Blues.

In the middle of the park, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic should make an impressive duo, giving more freedom to those above.

Kai Havertz’s best position is in the number ten role, with Timo Werner playing through the middle to really attacking Palace’s defence.

That would mean Mason Mount could play off one flank, and Callum Hudson-Odoi has done enough to show that he should be given a start.

Harbord’s team: Mendy; James, Christensen, Silva, Chilwell; Kante, Kovacic; Hudson-Odoi, Havertz, Mount; Werner

League debuts for Edouard Mendy and Ben Chilwell should help the defensive state of play but it is hard to predict the other three parts.

Cesar Azpilicueta may have done enough against Spurs to start over Reece James, who was defensively sloppy against West Brom, while Thiago Silva seems sure to start at centre back alongside one of Kurt Zouma or Andreas Christensen.

In midfield N’Golo Kante will return and Mason Mount will remain ever present but there seems a good chance that he will be next to Kai Havertz in a joint No8 role with the latter given more attacking responsibility.

Up front it will be interesting to see if Tammy Abraham gets another opportunity or Timo Werner returns to the No9 role, while Callum Hudson-Odoi has done enough to earn a start.

Christian Pulisic should be the first man off the bench depending on how the game is progressing.

Smith’s team: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Zouma, Chilwell; Kante; Mount, Havertz; Hudson-Odoi, Abraham, Werner.