MX23RW : Saturday, December 14 07:13:50| >> :60:506:506:
[monks data]
Attendance: 41,616
Chelsea logo
Premier League
Aug 12, 2017 at 3pm UK
 
Burnley logo

2-3

Morata (69'), Luiz (88')
FT(HT: 0-3)
Vokes (24', 42'), Ward (39')

Team News: Alvaro Morata on bench for Chelsea

Alvaro Morata starts on the bench as Chelsea welcome Burnley to Stamford Bridge.

Club-record signing Alvaro Morata starts on the bench as Chelsea welcome Burnley to Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

Blues manager Antonio Conte puts his faith in 20-year-old Jeremie Boga - making his first senior appearance - up front as the Premier League champions begin the defence of their title.

The youngster starts alongside Willian and Michy Batshuayi in a 3-4-3 formation, with Diego Costa still exiled by Conte and Eden Hazard and Pedro sidelined with ankle knocks.

N'Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas are in the heart of the midfield, with Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso on either wing, while summer signing Antonio Rudiger makes his league debut in the back three alongside David Luiz and newly-appointed skipper Gary Cahill. Thibaut Courtois remains in place between the sticks.

Options on the bench include the likes of youngsters Andreas Christensen and Fikayo Tomori, as well as Kenedy, despite his controversial exit from the club's pre-season tour of the Far East.

For Burnley, Sean Dyche starts with Sam Vokes in a lone striker role following the departure of Andre Gray to rivals Watford.

Former Swansea City midfielder Jack Cork makes his debut for the club alongside Jeff Hendrick, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Steven Defour and Robbie Brady.

Tom Heaton is back in goal, while James Tarkowski starts in the back four alongside Matthew Lowton, Stephen Ward and Ben Mee in the wake of Michael Keane's exit for Everton.

Summer signing Jonathan Walters starts the game on the bench, while Phil Bardsley misses out on a place in the squad as he continues to work his way back to full fitness.

Chelsea: Courtois; Rudiger, Luiz, Cahill; Azpilicueta, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Batshuayi, Boga
Subs: Cabellero, Christensen, Tomori, Kenedy, Scott, Musonda, Morata

Burnley: Heaton; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward; Gudmundsson, Cork, Hendrick, Defour, Brady; Vokes
Subs: Taylor, Arfield, Westwood, Walters, Pope, Long, Barnes

Keep up with every twist and turn from Stamford Bridge this afternoon with Sports Mole's live text commentary here.

ID:304742: cacheID:304742:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6291:
Written by
Neil Wilkes
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Stoke City forward Jonathan Walters celebrates scoring the opening goal during his side's Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield on December 27, 2016
Read Next:
Stoke reject £3m Burnley bid for Walters?
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!