Antonio Conte has called his side to prepare hard to win the Double, as a full-strength Chelsea host Watford at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
Newly-crowned Premier League champions, Chelsea welcome Watford to Stamford Bridge on Monday amidst what is set to be a raucous atmosphere in their first game since securing their sixth English top-flight title at West Bromwich Albion on Friday.
The two sides come into this match on the back of contrasting runs of results, with Chelsea winning each of their last four league games and Watford losing the same number of matches in a row. Ahead of their third and final meeting of the season on Monday, here’s the all-important team news.
Antonio Conte has no major injury concerns to deal with, and has a fully fit squad ahead of the visit of Watford on Monday. Thibaut Courtois is the only player who is dealing with a minor issue, but the knock on his ankle is not serious enough to sideline him from action.
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N’Golo Kante, meanwhile, was the last person to get off the treatment table, and having only been fit enough to make the bench on Friday, he is expected to make his return to the starting lineup against Watford.
The Chelsea boss, though, could ring in a few changes on the night, with club captain John Terry the likeliest of these with just two home games remaining before he calls it quits at Stamford Bridge. Michy Batshuayi is the other candidate to get a rare start on Monday, having scored the all-important title winning goal at West Brom.
Meanwhile, Conte has called his men to work hard for their remaining league games to prepare for the best way possible for next week’s FA Cup final against Arsenal.
Speaking ahead of the match against Watford, Conte said,”We have to work in training to prepare in the right way for these two games against Watford and Sunderland, and then prepare for the FA Cup final. We have the opportunity to win the Double and we must be ready to do this.”
In the Watford dugout, meanwhile, Walter Mazzarri is dealing with a major injury crisis, with as many as seven first-team players missing the short cross-London trip to Stamford Bridge.
Defence is the worst hit area, with Christian Kabasele (hamstring) joining Miguel Britos (calf), Craig Cathcart (knee) and Younes Kaboul (hamstring) on the treatment table. Roberto Pereyra (knee), Ben Watson (groin) and Mauro Zarate (ACL) are the long-term absentees and will play no further part this season for Watford.
However, Tom Cleverley is set to return to the match-day squad on Monday, after being ineligible to face parent side Everton at Goodison Park last week.
With several key players missing for Mazzarri, Chelsea could run rampant on their visitors on Monday, as they eye the English top-flight record of most wins in a 38-game season.
