Antonio
Conte will wait to make a final decision on whether to start Diego Costa in
Chelsea's
Nissan Super Sunday clash at Middlesbrough, live on Sky
Sports 1 HD.
The Spain striker withdrew from international duty with a groin injury and
returned to training with Chelsea on Wednesday.
But Conte will take his time before deciding whether to include the in-form
striker, who has nine goals in 11 Premier League games, from the start.
The Blues will be full of confidence heading to the Riverside after a run of
five straight league wins which has helped them rise to second in the table.
Meanwhile, Middlesbrough have just one win from their last nine league
matches but draws away at Arsenal and Manchester City and a home victory
against Bournemouth have seen Aitor Karanka's climb up to 15th in the table.
However, they have lost their last six games against Chelsea, failing to
score in each match.
Team news
Middlesbrough have a major injury doubt over George Friend with the defender
facing a late fitness test after picking up a knee injury in training. He
could be replaced by Fabio da Silva at the back, while Daniel Ayala (ankle)
is still ruled out.
Gaston Ramirez returns after missing the 1-1 draw at Manchester City due to
suspension while the rest of Aitor Karanka's squad reported back from
international duty apparently unscathed.
Chelsea have no injury concerns with midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Kurt Zouma
fit again, although the latter will not be rushed back to the first team
following his lengthy lay-off with a knee injury.
Opta stats
Chelsea have been beaten just twice in their last 17 Premier League games
against Boro, with both losses in 2006 (W12 D3).
Middlesbrough are looking to win successive home Premier League games for
the first time since August 2008.
Eden Hazard is set to make 150th Premier League appearance in this game - he
has 48 goals and 31 assists in his 149 league games for Chelsea. He would be
the sixth Chelsea player to score 50 Premier League goals if he scores twice
more.
However, six of Hazard's seven goals this season have been scored at
Stamford Bridge.
If Chelsea win this game without conceding, it will be the 10th time a
Premier League club has won 6+ consecutive games without shipping a goal -
Chelsea will have been responsible for half of those.
Chelsea are 14 points better off this season after 11 games (25) than they
were last season at this point (11).
Only two teams have collected fewer home points in the Premier League this
season than Middlesbrough (four) - Swansea (two) and Sunderland (one).
Diego Costa has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other
player this season (12, nine goals and three assists).
Costa has scored in nine of his last 12 Premier League appearances for
Chelsea.
Five of Middlesbrough's last seven Premier League goals have come from
crosses.
Merson's prediction
Boro have turned the corner. To pick up five points from their last three
games - away at Arsenal where they should have won, home to Bournemouth who
were on form, and to then get a draw at City, who had just beaten Barcelona.
This will be very, very difficult for them, and I think they're going to set
up, as they did against Arsenal and City, to make it very difficult for
Chelsea to break them down.
I've played at Boro, it's harder to sit back at home than it is away,
because the fans will want you to attack, but if they open this game up it
will get messy.
The three at the back is working for Chelsea, and I think the wing-backs
have done great. But playing wing-back is the graveyard shift, it's a hard
job. You're up and down, up and down all day, you have to be the full-back
and the winger at the same time.
I'd be shocked if Conte can get his wing-backs doing that week in, week out,
and when they start getting tired, you start playing five at the back and
getting overrun in midfield. If they can rotate their wing-backs, they can
do anything.
They've been outstanding since the Arsenal defeat, they have ripped teams
apart. They made Everton look like a League Two team.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-2
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