Chelsea team news: Expected 3-4-2-1 vs Brentford as Thomas Tuchel makes six changes

Chelsea will look to avoid slipping up away at Brentford like Arsenal and Liverpool have this season in their quest to keep pace atop the Premier League table tonight (5.30pm). Thomas Tuchel's league leaders have won five of seven matches but the Bees represent tricky opponents and the German boss is without several players through injury. Express Sport looks at how the Blues may line up for their London derby.

The Senegal goalkeeper has established himself as one of the very best in the Premier League and only Hugo Lloris, of the first-choice shot-stoppers at the big six clubs, has made more saves this term.

Mendy conceded in both of his Senegal appearances over the international break and will hope to get back to earning clean sheets here.

Defence: Azpilicueta, Christensen, Chalobah

Tuchel has said pre-match that his defence is "decimated" with both Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger unavailable for the trip to the Brentford Community Stadium.

Brazil international Silva only made the 12-hour journey back to England on Friday while Rudiger suffered a back problem in action for Germany.

That leaves Andreas Christensen and Trevor Chalobah as Chelsea's only fit senior centre-halves and Cesar Azpilicueta should drop back into the back three as a result.

The Spaniard will surely start on the right with Christensen playing centrally and Chalobah acting as the left-sided centre-half.