
Chelsea
travel to Ukraine to face Dynamo Kiev hoping to move back into the top two
in Champions League Group G.
The Blues have lost six of their last 13 games in all competitions -
compared to a record of four defeats in 54 games last season - and a
comfortable 4-0 home win over Maccabi Tel Aviv on Champions League Matchday
One was followed by a 2-1 defeat in Porto two weeks later.
Jose Mourinho will hope for greater consistency after a 2-0 victory over
Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday got his side back on track,
ending a three-game winless run. Diego Costa was on the score-sheet for the
first time since Chelsea's win over Maccabi Tel Aviv on September 16.
Dynamo Kiev's 38-match unbeaten run in the Ukrainian league came to an end
with Friday's 3-0 home defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Sergei Rebrov's side, with four points from their opening two Champions
League games, are looking to get out of the group stage for the first time
in their last 11 attempts.
Team news
Striker Loic Remy and forward Pedro did not travel to Kiev due to minor
injuries, while Eden Hazard could return to the starting line-up having been
dropped for the victory over Aston Villa.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (knee) and Branislav Ivanovic (hamstring) are
out, so there is a choice to be made at right back, with Cesar Azpilicueta,
Ramires, Kurt Zouma and 19-year-old Ola Aina options, and Baba Rahman a
possibility to continue at left-back.
Opta stats
Dynamo Kiev are currently second in the Ukrainian League with 28pts from 11
games.
Kiev are playing in the group stage for the 15th time - they have failed to
get beyond the group in their last 10 attempts.
Chelsea are 12pts worse off in the Premier League than at this stage last
season, having dropped 16pts - they dropped just six points from their
opening 14 games last season.
Hazard is one away from 50 goals for Chelsea however he is on his longest
run without a goal for the club - 15 games.
Willian has scored in four of his last five appearances. He had scored just
eight in 97 for Chelsea before that.