Team News: Diego Costa drops to Chelsea bench

Diego Costa has been left out of Chelsea's starting lineup for this afternoon's Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Spain international ended a barren scoring run when finding the net against Norwich City last weekend, but he came in for some criticism from boss Jose Mourinho in midweek.

Mourinho accused his four-goal striker of 'failing to read the game' after the Blues' comfortable win over Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Costa has now been dropped to the bench with Eden Hazard being played as the visitors' most advanced player.

Chelsea have made three changes in all, with the injured John Terry being replaced by Kurt Zouma in the heart of defence, while Branislav Ivanovic is preferred to Kenedy at right-back.

Spurs, who have had to do a lot of travelling over the past few days following their Europa League triumph over Qarabag, themselves make three changes for this high-noon showdown.

Suspended midfielder Dele Alli drops out, as do Ben Davies and Kieran Trippier to be replaced by Kyle Walker, Mousa Dembele and Danny Rose.

There is also a 100th Tottenham appearance for Christian Eriksen, who will be looking to lift his side - temporarily, at least - into the top four of the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dier, Mason; Dembele, Son, Eriksen; Kane Subs: Vorm, Trippier, Wimmer, Onomah, Carroll, Lamela, Njie

Chelsea: Begovic; Ivanovic, Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Fabregas, Matic; Willian, Oscar, Pedro; Hazard Subs: Amelia, Djilobodji, Baba Rahman, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Costa

Find out what the Sports Mole team had to say about this afternoon's fixture below:

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