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Walton Starts as Town Make Four Changes Against Chelsea - Ipswich Town News

Keeper Christian Walton returns to the Town XI for the first time since the opening week of the season as Kieran McKenna makes four changes for this evening’s home game against Chelsea.

Walton replaces Aro Muric, who is on the bench, for his second Premier League appearance having started the opening match against Liverpool and the Carabao Cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon a few days later.

Wes Burns comes in wide on the right for Ben Johnson, who is also among the subs, with McKenna once again naming Dara O’Shea, Luke Woolfenden and Jacob Greaves in his backline, with Leif Davis at left-back.

Skipper Sam Morsy returns in the centre of midfield alongside Jens Cajuste with Kalvin Phillips on the bench having started his first game in almost two months at Arsenal on Friday.

Ahead of them, Nathan Broadhead is handed his first Premier League start having impressed off the bench in recent weeks with Sammie Szmodics dropping to the bench, while Omari Hutchinson faces his old club. Liam Delap is the number nine.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has made five changes to his team following the 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham on Boxing Day with second-choice keeper Filip Jorgensen, Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku coming into the XI and Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Nicolas Jackson all dropping to the bench.

Town: Walton, Burns, O'Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Morsy (c), Cajuste, Hutchinson, Broadhead, Delap. Subs: Muric, Johnson, Townsend, Phillips, Taylor, Chaplin, Szmodics, J Clarke, Al-Hamadi.

Chelsea: Jorgensen, Disasi, Cucurella, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Fernandez (c), Madueke, Felix, Nkunku, Palmer, Caicedo. Subs: Sanchez, Neto, Jackson, Sancho, James, Gusto, Acheampong, Guiu, Veiga. Referee: John Brooks (Leicestershire). VAR: Michael Oliver.

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