Antonio Conte would normally be on holidays. Maybe back home in Italy, or perhaps somewhere more exotic like Dubai. But this year, his holiday is to his office at Cobham. For Chelsea, it’s business as usual; for Conte, it’s a brand new experience.
Feeds and Biss keys for Chelsea vs. Bournemouth
100.5E
3700 V 30000
ID: IMG ASIA
Chelsea TV
Replay – EPL: Chelsea vs AFC Bournemouth
CW: 3A B3 5C 49 1B C0 03 DE
7E
11020 V 7200
ID: IMG3 EU
Chelsea TV
Replay – EPL: Chelsea vs AFC Bournemouth
CW: 3A B3 5C 49 1B C0 03 DE
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It could indeed become a most fantastic experience, with Chelsea not only looking to continue winning and pushing the pace at the top of the table, but also aiming for a new club record 12 games won in a row.
Date / Time: Monday, December 26, 2016, 15:00 GMT; 10am EST; 8:30pm IDT
Venue: Stamford Bridge, SW6
Referee: Mike Jones — back for the second time this season after being in charge for Chelsea’s win over Southampton two months ago.
Forecast: Sunny buy cold
On TV: none (UK); CNBC (USA); Star Sports HD4 (India); elsewhere
Streaming online: NBC Sports Live Extra (USA); Star Sports (India)
Chelsea team news: Everybody but John Terry is healthy and fit, but Conte still has to deal with a smaller squad than usual thanks to the one-match suspensions for Diego Costa and N’Golo Kanté (both picked up a fifth yellow card last weekend) and the sale of Oscar to China.
Michy Batshuayi and Cesc Fàbregas are expected to step in for the suspended duo, though Conte could have some other, more drastic tricks up his sleeve. A few reports also mention that Hazard may still be carrying a knock.
Chelsea play before either Liverpool or Manchester City on this Boxing Day, which mean that at least temporarily, we could once again open-up a nine-point lead with a win.
Bournemouth team news: The Cherries, the feel good story of rising up from the ashes under Eddie Howe, have been trading wins and losses for most of the past two months; that streak does include home losses to Sunderland and Southampton. In a word, Bournemouth have been inconsistent.
Injured duo Andrew Surman and Junior Stanislas face late fitness test, while on-loan Nathan Aké will have to sit this one out due to loan rules. Otherwise, all are available for selection.
Previously: Considering this will be only the 8th ever meeting between the two sides, there isn’t much history here to unravel. Bournemtouh did beat Chelsea 1-0 in this same exact fixture last season; here are highlights of Chelsea’s emphatic win in the reverse tally.