Chelsea vs Bournemouth is the second Premier League fixture on Matchday 4 and the lineups for Saturday’s tie at Stamford Bridge are out.
There is one change from last week’s win, with @willianborges88 replacing @_Pedro17_! 👊#CHEBOU pic.twitter.com/I7yCVflg9B
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 1, 2018
The Blues are out in their standard 4-3-3, with Maurizio Sarri making just one change from the XI that beat Newcastle United 2-1 last week.
Pedro makes way for Willian and the Brazilian winger lines up alongside Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata at the tip of the Blues’ attack.
N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic continue their partnership in midfield, while Cezar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Antonio Rudiger and Marcos Alonso feature ahead of keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
🔺 Lerma, Rico start first ever @premierleague games
🔺 Change of formation
🔺 Francis returnsOur team for this afternoon’s fixture at Stamford Bridge 📋 #CHEBOU // #afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/jZbY8ysKiO
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 1, 2018
The Cherries have made a number of changes for their visit to the English capital and look to be playing a 3-4-3 formation.
Asmir Begovic starts in goal, with Nathan Ake, Steve Cook and Simon Francis ahead of him.
Diego Rico and Adam Smith are the wingbacks, while Jefferson Lerma and Dan Gosling start in central midfield.
Up top, Callum Wilson is partnered by Joshua King and Ryan Fraser.
Chelsea, with three wins from three, will be heavy favourites to secure all three points against a side that have struggled to play well away from home.
The Cherries have, however, made an excellent start the season and are just two points behind their fancied opponents in the league table.
With Eden Hazard and Co. the form they are in, it would be difficult to look beyond a routine home win for the Blues in their final game before the first international break of the season.
Chelsea: Kepa, Azpilicueta (C), Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso, Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic, Willian, Morata and Hazard.
Bournemouth: Begovic, Cook, Ake, Francis (C), Rico, Lerma, Gosling, Smith, Fraser, Wilson and King.
Match kicks off at 19.30 IST.