MX23RW : Friday, May 10 00:33:35| >> :120:19974:19974:
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Attendance: 29,661
Stoke logo
Premier League
Sep 23, 2017 at 3pm UK
 
Chelsea logo

0-4

FT(HT: 0-2)
Morata (2', 78', 82'), Pedro (30')

Team News: Eden Hazard still on Chelsea bench

Team News: Hazard still on Chelsea bench
© SilverHub
Eden Hazard remains on the bench as Chelsea visit Stoke City.

Eden Hazard remains on the bench for Chelsea's visit to Stoke City this afternoon.

The Belgian started the EFL Cup victory over Nottingham Forest in midweek and had been in line for his first Premier League start of the season today following ankle surgery over the summer, but Antonio Conte has opted to keep faith with his front three of Willian, Alvaro Morata and Pedro.

In all, Antonio Conte makes three changes from the side that were held to a goalless draw by Arsenal last weekend ahead of a tricky trip to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in four days' time.

Two of those changes come in defence, with David Luiz suspended following his red against the Gunners and Gary Cahill dropping to the bench as Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger earn recalls and join Cesar Azpilicueta in the back three.

Cesc Fabregas is also made to start the game among the substitutes as summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko comes into the midfield alongside Victor Moses, N'Golo Kante and Marcos Alonso following his run-out against Forest.

Micky Batshuayi scored a midweek hat-trick against the Championship side but starts on the bench today.

For the hosting Potters, Mark Hughes is forced to shuffle his pack and make two changes to the starting XI that lost 2-1 to Newcastle United last weekend.

Kurt Zouma is ineligible to feature against his parent club and Kevin Wimmer is out with a hamstring injury, meaning that Glen Johnson comes back into the fold and Erik Pieters drops back to join Bruno Martins Indi in the back three ahead of Jack Butland between the sticks.

Ramadan Sobhi is also recalled, linking up with Joe Allen, Darren Fletcher and Mame Biram Diouf, while the attacking threat comes from Xherdan Shaqiri, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Jese.

Stoke City: Butland; Johnson, Martins Indi, Pieters; Diouf, Fletcher, Allen, Ramadan; Shaqiri, Choupo-Moting; Jese
Subs: Grant; Berahino, Tymon, Afellay, Adam, Crouch, Souttar

Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger; Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Morata, Pedro
Subs: Caballero, Cahill, Zappacosta, Fabregas, Musonda, Hazard, Batshuayi

Keep up with all of the action from the bet365 this afternoon with Sports Mole's live text commentary here.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal36265588286083
2Manchester CityMan City35257387335482
3Liverpool36239481384378
4Aston Villa36207973532067
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs351861169581160
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle351751378562256
7Chelsea351591170591154
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd35166135255-354
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham361310135670-1449
10Bournemouth36139145263-1148
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton351211125357-447
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36137164960-1146
13Fulham36128165155-444
14Crystal Palace361110154957-843
15Everton36129153849-1137
16Brentford3699185260-836
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3689194563-1829
18Luton TownLuton3668224978-2926
19Burnley3659223974-3524
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd36372635100-6516


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