Chelsea team news: Eden Hazard starts vs Arsenal as Andreas Christensen returns from illness

Vaishali Bhardwaj3 January 2018

Eden Hazard is back in Antonio Conte's starting line-up as Chelsea take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Belgian was rested for the Blues' final game of 2017 - a 5-0 victory at home to Stoke City - as Conte switched to a 3-4-3 formation with Willian and Pedro either side of Alvaro Morata.

However, with a trip to face London rivals Arsenal kick-starting Chelsea's new year, Conte has opted to bring Hazard back to the fold as Morata keeps his place up front.

Apart from David Luiz, who is nearing his return from a knee injury, Conte has no other real injury concerns to worry about and so starts his strongest line-up against Arsenal.

In come Tiemoue Bakayoko and Cesc Fabregas in midfield next to N'Golo Kante, as Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso take up their usual wing-back roles.

In defence, Andreas Christensen returns from illness to play in the centre of a three-man defence next to Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill. Thibaut Courtois is in goal.

Starting line-ups

Arsenal XI: Cech, Chambers, Mustafi, Holding, Bellerin, Wilshere, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles, Ozil, Sanchez, Lacazette

Subs: Mertesacker, Ospina, Walcott, Iwobi, Welbeck, Coquelin, Elneny

Chelsea XI: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Cahill, Moses, Fabregas, Kante, Bakayoko, Alonso, Hazard, Morata

Subs: Caballero, Rudiger, Drinkwater, Pedro, Zappacosta, Willian, Batshuayi

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)

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