Chelsea showed they mean business this season with an authoritative showing against Burnley in their opening English Premier League game on Monday night. Come Saturday, the Blues will look for another "turn on the style" match when they play their first game of the season at Stamford Bridge by hosting Leicester City.
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The Stamford Bridge match is set for a 7.30 pm IST (3 pm BST, 10 am ET) start with live coverage on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD1 in India. The match can also be watched via live streaming online in India HERE. Viewers in the UK can also listen to the match via radio on Absolute Radio or Live online HERE. Catch the action on TV in the US on NBC Sports, while the game can also be live streamed online HERE. Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the match via live streaming HERE, while South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa viewers can do the same HERE. Australia viewers can live stream the action HERE, while viewers in Canada can watch the game HERE.
Jose Mourinho certainly has a title-capable squad at his disposal for this season, with Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa, in particular, looking right at home with their new club. Both players starred for Chelsea in that 3-1 win over Burnley, with the former Arsenal and Barcelona man catching the eye after his man of the match performance, which was highlighted by a delicious assist for the winning goal.
Fabregas might just prove to be the signing of the season, and if the midfielder can continue the kind of form he showed in his first Premier League match for Chelsea, then the Blues could just be the ones picking up that title in May.
"We knew Fabregas was an important player from the moment we tried to buy him," said Mourinho. "Our team already had a structure and a way of playing on the pitch, but we knew we clearly needed that kind of midfield player and a striker who could play with his back to the goal, hold the ball and associate with the different attacking players.
"That would make us a different team, not just in terms of results but especially in relation to the style of play.
"Cesc has been important for us, everybody knows how good he is, he was already good as a kid, he disappeared from us for three years but he's back at a fantastic age so I think we enjoy him and he enjoys playing in the Premier League."
Costa also gives Chelsea that extra cutting edge up front, with the Brazil-born Spain international already looking in the mood to score another 25-30 goals in the season.
Chelsea, of course, are not just about the two new signings, with Nemanja Matic yet again proving just why he might be the best in his position in the Premier League, while more can be expected from the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar, Willian and Andre Schurrle.
Stopping the Chelsea juggernaut will be Leicester City's job on Saturday, and Nigel Pearson and his men will certainly have their work cut out, even if Mourinho is expecting a tough outing against the Championship winners.
"Leicester are champions and they come with this winning mentality from the previous season, and they come with high expectations and motivations to play in the Premier League," Mourinho added. "They know that every point is important in this league, especially for the teams that fight to keep in the division.
"This is the sixth Premier League season I start. "I don't think I have a lot to learn from the fact that every match is difficult and every opponent is difficult."
Leicester are coming off an impressive 2-2 draw against Champions League hopefuls Everton, and if the newly-promoted side can put in a similar performance of quality, then they just might be able to make a game of it.
"Chelsea at Stamford Bridge speaks for itself," Pearson said. "Their record there is very good but we have to think of this as something of a bonus. "It will be a good opportunity for players to test themselves. We need a collective mind-set on the job in hand -- the players have worked hard and it is important we do as well as we can.
"I was very proud of the players and pleased for them last weekend. I've seen a lot of those players experience some lows."
Team news: Chelsea: The talk, in terms of selection, has centred on Thibaut Courtois being preferred to the previously undroppable Petr Cech. Courtois will continue in goal for Chelsea with Mourinho refusing to reveal his reasons behind the big decision.
"Petr is a top professional," said Mourinho. "He is working as always, behaving as always, being a group man as always, being a Chelsea person as always. Is he totally happy? I don't believe he is but it is not only him, it is everyone who didn't start the game."
Chelsea do not have too many injury worries, with Ramires coming back into the squad after serving his four-match suspension. Chelsea's third high-profile summer signing Filipe Luis will hope to make his first competitive start for his new side, but Mourinho might just stick to the same starting XI which did so well against Burnley.
Leicester City: Pearson might have Marc Albrighton and Jamie Vardy back in contention, but Danny Drinkwater, Matty James and Matthew Upson remain sidelined with hamstring, shin and foot injuries respectively.
Expected lineups: Chelsea: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard; Costa.
Leicester City: Schmeichel; De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky; Mahrez, Hammond, King, Knockaert; Nugent, Ulloa.
Prediction: 2-0 to Chelsea
