Chelsea
will be missing several key players when they start the defence of their
Premier League title at home to Burnley on Saturday.
The Blues will be without injured trio Eden Hazard, Pedro and Tiemoue
Bakayoko while Victor Moses is suspended and Diego Costa is in exile having
been told he has no future under Antonio Conte.
Chelsea swept to the title last season with a league-record 30 wins, but it
has not been smooth sailing since.
After losing the FA Cup final to Arsenal, they have had mixed pre-season
results, lost in the Community Shield, again to Arsenal, and there have been
reports that Conte has been frustrated by some of the club's transfer
activity this summer.
But the Italian says he is looking forward to the new season: "It's a great
challenge for us to try and retain the title and we are working hard. We
want to be competitive and we want to fight for the title again."
Burnley, who have seen striker Andre Gray leave for Watford, finished 16th
in the Premier League last season and did not win an away game until April
29.
Manager Sean Dyche hopes the Clarets do not have to wait so long for an away
win this time, but acknowledges they face a challenge to improve on last
season.
"It's just that win, if you get one win early doors it kills everything
off," he said. "There's no grand statements from us. Are we looking to edge
it forward? Yes. Is that the reality of our challenge? Yes. It's unlikely
we're going to take huge jumps forward at a club like this.
"It's a continuation of the things you've seen over the last four years. How
far can we continue to take it and adjust it along the way? That's the key,
when to adjust it and how to adjust it. And now, it's virtually always down
to finance. It's quite obviously not a level playing field."
Team news
Pedro picked up an ankle knock in last Sunday's Community Shield penalty
shoot-out loss to Arsenal so misses out for Chelsea.
Moses is suspended following his dismissal in May's FA Cup final defeat to
the Gunners while Costa, Hazard (broken ankle) and Bakayoko (knee) remain
out.
James Tarkowski and Jon Walters are likely to start for Burnley, with
Michael Keane and Gray both sold this summer.
Jack Cork is also pencilled in for a debut in midfield but Phil Bardsley is
not fully match fit and may be made to wait.
Opta stats
Chelsea are unbeaten in their previous six Premier League meetings with
Burnley (W4 D2 L0).
Chelsea have won more points on opening day than any other Premier League
club (54).
In fact, the Blues have not lost an opening day Premier League fixture since
1998 v Coventry, going unbeaten in their last 18 games to start the season
(W15 D3).
Just one of the previous 25 reigning Premier League champions have lost
their opening game in the following season - Leicester City v Hull City in
2016 (W20 D4 L1).
Burnley have lost all three Premier League opening day fixtures, scoring
just one goal in those three games.
Chelsea (183) have won more points in August than any other team in Premier
League history (P85, W54, D21, L10).
Chelsea summer signing Alvaro Morata (27.3 per cent) had the highest
conversion rate of any striker to score 10+ goals in La Liga last season,
scoring 15 goals from 55 shots (inc. blocks).
Merson's prediction
I had a close eye on Chelsea in the Community Shield and what's clear is
that they aren't the same team with Eden Hazard.
But Burnley at home on the opening day of the season is a nice game given
the Clarets' poor away record.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
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