Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has handed a rare start to Cesc Fabregas with N’Golo Kante missing the game through suspension, as the Blues look to make it twelve wins in a row against AFC Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, Pedro has replaced Diego Costa in the starting lineup, with the Premier League top scorer suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card in the game against Crystal Palace. Talismanic attacker Eden Hazard could be starting as the false nine in the eleven, that is unchanged bar the suspended absentees.
For Bournemouth, midfielder Andrew Surman has recovered from a hamstring injury to slot back into the starting XI for Eddie Howe’s side, as Callum Wilson and Junior Stanislas make the bench.
Here are the confirmed lineups:
Chelsea team today: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c); Moses, Fabregas, Matic, Alonso; Willian, Hazard, Pedro. #CFCBOU
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 26, 2016
Chelsea subs v Bournemouth: Begovic, Ivanovic, Aina, Zouma, Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Batshuayi. #CFCBOU
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 26, 2016
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Our team to face @ChelseaFC. Andrew Surman and Brad Smith in from the off. Junior Stanislas is back on the bench.#afcb ? pic.twitter.com/AxzBtJGXX2
— AFC Bournemouth ? (@afcbournemouth) December 26, 2016