Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea travel to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon to take on Manchester City.
Both sides are expected to firmly challenge for this season’s title, and thus will be out to secure bragging rights early on in the campaign.
Chelsea’s title-defence got off to a terribly disappointing start, as they drew 2-2 with Swansea City at Stamford Bridge, with Thibaut Courtois being shown a red card early in the second-half.
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Diego Costa was unexpectedly named in Mourinho’s starting XI last week, in what was a line-up with no changes to the side that stunned England’s top flight in the 2014-15 campaign, and is likely to again start in Manchester.
Courtois, meanwhile, is serving his one-match ban, and Asmir Begovic will thus take his place as the the No.1 for the clash against the Citizens.
Here’s our predicted Chelsea XI…
GK – Asmir Begovic
The 28-year-old replaced Courtois following the Belgian’s red card last week, and impressed on his domestic debut, suggesting that he could well challenge for the No.1 spot.
LB – Cesar Azpilicueta
Chelsea’s full backs will need to be at their best today with such pace in the City attack. Azpilicueta continues to impress, but competition is surely a must to keep the Spaniard on his toes.
CB – John Terry
Terry was handed a stern test by the Swans’ Bafetimbi Gomis in their opening game, but will face an even tougher task to keep Sergio Aguero away from goal.
CB – Gary Cahill
Despite competition from Kurt Zouma, Cahill deservedly remains Mourinho’s first-choice to partner Terry. News that the Blues are interested in Everton’s John Stones, however, may have worried the England international.
RB – Branislav Ivanovic
Last week, the accomplished Ivanovic was given the runaround by Swansea’s Jefferson Montero, and this week, will have £49m man Raheem Sterling to contend with.
LDM – Nemanja Matic
Matic will be key at the Etihad. Expect an exciting battle between the Serb and Yaya Toure in the centre of the park.
RDM – Kurt Zouma
The grit and enthusiasm of Zouma could make him ideal alongside Matic, particularly with Cesc Fabregas’ form at present questionable.
LW – Eden Hazard
City captain Vincent Kompany has said he hopes Hazard is struck with diarrhea before the game on Sunday afternoon, and that just about sums up the opposition’s fear of last season’s PFA Player of the Year.
AM – Cesc Fabregas
Fabregas has been in disappointing form since January, and would be a risk in a holding position at the Etihad. Nonetheless, the Spaniard’s creative ingenuity comes into life on the edge of the box. His link up play with Diego Costa wowed supporters in the first-half of last season, and there would be few better places to rekindle this connection that at the Etihad.
RW – Willian
The Brazilian continues to keep Juan Cuadrado out of the starting XI, and is expected to do the same against the Sky Blues. However, if Willian puts in a similar poor performance to that of last week, Cuadrado will surely be scratching his head at his continued exclusion.
ST – Diego Costa
Chelsea need Costa fit, but they also need him to quit his sulking. He spent far too much time crying towards the referee for a foul when he could have stayed on his feet and had an effort on goal. There should be no place for such a performance against last season’s runners-up.
