Sep 23, 2017 at 3pm UK at ​bet365 Stadium
StokeStoke City
0-4
Chelsea

Shaqiri (49'), Crouch (89')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Morata (2', 78', 82'), Pedro (30')
Alonso (51'), Kante (57')

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 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 back in the fold, 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.

Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta clears from Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez during the FA Cup final on May 27, 2017
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City65102121916
2Manchester UnitedMan Utd65101721516
3Chelsea6411125713
4Tottenham HotspurSpurs6321105511
5Watford6321910-111
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle53026429
7Huddersfield TownHuddersfield62315329
8Burnley62316519
9Liverpool52219908
10West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom52214408
11Southampton622245-18
12Arsenal521278-17
13Everton6213411-77
14Swansea CitySwansea612337-45
15Stoke CityStoke6123510-55
16Leicester CityLeicester511379-24
17Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton511347-34
18West Ham UnitedWest Ham6114613-74
19Bournemouth6105411-73
20Crystal Palace6006013-130
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