Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has opted to keep star winger Eden Hazard on the bench for Sunday’s crunch Premier League clash against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, the lineups have revealed.
The teams are in… #CHEARS pic.twitter.com/gWhdTnahlO
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 17, 2017
Hazard, who is coming back from an ankle injury, is a substitute as is Gunners winger Alexis Sanchez, who played in their UEFA Europa League tie against Cologne.
Conte has opted for his standard 3-4-3 formation, with Thibaut Courtois retaining his place between the sticks with David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta starting in front of him.
Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso are the preferred wing-backs while Cesc Fabregas starts in midfield to face his former club alongside N’Golo Kante.
Up front, the club record-signing Alvaro Morata is flanked by Willian and Pedro.
Here’s how we line up for #CFCvAFC… pic.twitter.com/nBeVhBOTjR
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) September 17, 2017
The away side are mirroring the hosts’ 3-4-3 formation with former Blues keeper Petr Cech starting behind a back three of Nacho Monreal, Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny.
Aaron Ramsey partners Granit Xhaka in central midfield while Sead Kolasinac and Hector Bellerin the starting wing-backs.
Alexandre Lacazette, Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi complete their formation and if nothing else, the match is sure to be fascinating with plenty at stake.
Michael @Ballack has given us his #CHEARS score prediction! What’s yours? pic.twitter.com/gdQL0olRIB
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 17, 2017
Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c), Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso, Willian, Morata and Pedro.
Arsenal: Cech, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac, Iwobi, Welbeck and Lacazette.
Match starts at 13.30 GMT/1800 IST.