Chelsea vs Bournemouth live: What time does it start, what TV channel is it on, where can I watch it?
A look ahead to the Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea have the chance to restore their nine-point lead over the rest of the Premier League when they take on Bournemouth on Boxing Day at Stamford Bridge, with Manchester City not playing until the evening kick-off and Liverpool in action on Tuesday night. Antonio Conte's side are on an impressive 11-match winning streak in the league, but face their toughest test yet as both Diego Costa and N'Golo Kante are ruled out of today's match through suspension. Bournemouth meanwhile sit tenth in the Premier League table and can move ahead of both West Bromwich Albion and Everton if they secure a surprise victory.
Follow the live action below...
It’s a big game for…
Marcos Alonso: The marauding wing-back has impressed many since arriving at Chelsea from Fiorentina and is enjoying a rich vein of form at the moment.
Best stat…
51: Diego Costa has been involved in 51 per cent of Chelsea’s goals this season, but he’ll be missing on Boxing Day through suspension.
Remember when…
Last season, Glenn Murray’s late header piled misery on Jose Mourinho’s beleaguered Chelsea.
Player to watch…
Michy Batshuayi: It remains to be seen whether, in Costa’s absence, Chelsea’s only other recognised striker will make his first Premier League start of the season.
Antonio Conte suggested that Batshuayi is not yet ‘ready’ for the rigours of the Premier League. So, if he does not play, who will lead the line in his place?
Past three-meetings…
Bournemouth 1 (Elphick) Chelsea 4 (Pedro, Hazard 2, Willian)
Premier League, April 2016
Chelsea 0 Bournemouth 1 (Murray)
Premier League, December 2015
Bournemouth 0 Chelsea 1 (Peacock)
League Cup, October 1994
Form guide…
Chelsea: WWWWW
Bournemouth: LWLWL
Vital information…
Kick-off time: 3.00pm
TV: Highlights on BBC One, 10.55pm
This time last season...A second half Yohan Cabaye penalty gave Palace a 1-0 victory over Watford to take them up to sixth in Premier League following a superb start to last season. Wilfried Zaha won the decisive penalty after a clumsy collision with Allan Nyom.
These two have history...It wasn't just last year's FA Cup semi-final that Palace subjected Watford to Wembley heartache. In the 2013 Championship play-off final, the Eagles earned a 1-0 victory over the Hornets thanks to a Kevin Phillips penalty deep in extra time.
STAT: Watford and Palace have suffered more Premier League defeats than any other team in the top flight during this calendar year.
The team's are out at Vicarage Road with kick-off only moments away...
3mins: Within minutes of the opening, Watford already have an injury to deal with. Daryl Janmaat goes down after a collision with Wilfried Zaha and Juan Camilo Zuniga is going to be the man to replace the Dutch wing-back.
5mins: Zaha won the penalty to earn Palace a win at Vicarage Road last season and he almost did it again within the first few minutes here. The flying winger beat substitute Zuniga before going down under the challenge of Guedioura. However, Mark Clattenburg gives a free-kick on the edge of the area.
8mins: Zaha is having a lot of the ball for Palace in the opening period. This time, the wide man beats Zuniga with ease and puts a teasing cross across the face of the box but no Palace player was there to meet it.
12mins: It seems as if Watford have another injury setback and this time it's Valon Behrami. The Swiss midfielder looks like he's pulled his hamstring after a collision with Christian Benteke. Troy Deeney enters the fray as his replacement.
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