Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has confirmed that Michy Batshuayi will make the starting lineup for Saturday’s late FA Cup fourth round tie against Hull City on the road.
The Belgium international has not started a single league game for the Blues this term and most of his starts have been limited to the Cup competitions where he has barely impressed.
Batshuayi has netted five goals for the Blues in all competitions this term but the last one of those came at Ajax in October, where he scored the winning goal in a 1-0 triumph.
Since then, he has been poor in front of goal where he has squandered a number of clear-cut chances but Lampard has cited that the striker can redeem himself in the injury absence of Tammy Abraham.
“He starts tomorrow. Yes this is a chance for him. Part of that has been how Tammy’s been, we have seen his breakthrough and and the consistency of his game. But yes, this is a chance for him and clearly he certainly has got to take that chance in terms of his all-round game and goals and his overall performance,” he told.
Abraham picked up an ankle injury against Arsenal in the midweek London derby in the Premier League and Lampard has confirmed that the striker won’t return to action against the Tigers on Saturday.
Similarly, he may not be involved in the league game at Leicester City before the winter break and Batshuayi could earn his first league start of the season, should he impress for Chelsea at the KCOM Stadium.