CHELSEA return to Premier League action today as they face Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.
The hosts sit 8th in the Premier League as it stand while Bournemouth have impressed and are three points clear of the relegation zone.
Graham Potter will be keen for his side to get off to the best possible start upon their return.
And we have all the information ahead of kick-off tonight.
- Start time: 5:30pm BST
- TV/Live stream: Amazon Prime video
- Chelsea XI: To follow
- Bournemouth XI: To follow
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
World Cup heros
Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech are unavailable for Chelsea today.
This is due to their participation in the World Cup, where they faced off in the third place play-off.
Croatia came out on top that day but both nations won the heart of the world for their impressive displays at the tournament.
Graham Potter is yet to confirm when the duo will return.
Last time they faced
Bournemouth have a decent record against Chelsea in recent seasons.
Last time out they drew 2-2 in 2020 as Bournemouth played host
And when the Cherries visited Stamford Bridge in 2019, they won 1-0.
The most impressive clash between the two? Bournemouth thrashed Chelsea 4-0 in January of 2019, when Maurizio Sarri saw the pressure pile on him.
The last time they lost to the Blues was back in 2018.
Can they pull off an upset again here?
What it means
With Fulham’s victory over Crystal Palace seeing them leapfrog their neighbours Chelsea, the Blues can take back 8th position with a win today.
This would put them six behind Tottenham Hotspur in 4th and a run of victories would help Graham Potter’s side in their race for the top 4.
For Bournemouth, a win would see them go 12th and six points clear of the drop.
It’s all to play for today.
Forgotten man
Denis Zakaria has been handed few opportunities since his summer loan move to Chelsea.
The Swiss international also played a bit-part role at the World Cup for his national team as they crashed out to Portugal in the last-16.
Denis Zakaria could start for ChelseaCredit: Getty He could be in line for a rare start today with Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante unavailable.
Zakaria impressed in his last appearance for the Blues, so can he do it again if selected?
Reece’s return?
Reports are circulating Twitter, believing that Reece James is set for his Chelsea return this afternoon.
If true, this will be a HUGE boost for the Blues, who rely heavily on James for both his defensive and attacking output.
The England international missed the World Cup after an injury blow but will have his eyes firmly on the Premier League and improving Chelsea’s form this winter.
Pot to do better
Graham Potter knows more than anyone that his side must improve this season if they are to retain their place in the Champions League.
Despite starting off well as Chelsea boss, Potter’s men picked up a handful of injuries and their form dipped going into November.
The World Cup break allowed them to regroup and a warm weather training camp in Abu Dhabi gave his side the chance to work on their tactics.
He’ll be hoping for three points today to ease some of the pressure on him.
Bourne to be wild
Gary O’Neil has proven that he has what it takes to coach at the top level, holding an impressive record as Bournemouth manager.
This saw him become the permanent head coach during the World Cup break and he will now be looking to pull off survival with his side.
They face a tough task today, but the Cherries have an impressive record over Chelsea in recent seasons.
Welcome back Chelsea and Bournemouth fans!
The Premier League is back and up next, Chelsea vs Bournemouth!
World Cup action saw a welcome break for Graham Potter’s side, who were in miserable form.
But with the return of the Premier League, they will be hoping to pick up some wins as they look to make the top four.
Bournemouth’s goal remains the same – survive relegation.
It remains to be seen as to whether the Cherries can pull this off as they face Chelsea TODAY.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
