Chelsea v Stoke City line-ups: Key Blues duo back, Fabregas starts, Stoke man ruled out

Cesc Fabregas keeps his place in the Chelsea line-up for the visit of Stoke despite the return of N’Golo Kante.

The pair are partnered in midfield at the expense of Nemanja Matic, who is among the substitutes.

Kante is back after suspension as is striker Diego Costa, who replaces the banned Pedro in the starting line-up.

Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are also on the bench as Chelsea look to record a 13th successive Premier League victory.

Stoke make three changes, with striker Jonathan Walters out through injury and both Giannelli Imbula and Glenn Whelan making way.

Defender Phil Bardsley is also a substitute after six weeks out with a knee injury, while winger Marko Arnautovic is suspended.

Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Matic, Kante, Alonso; Willian, Hazard, Costa.
Subs: Begovic, Zouma, Ivanovic, Chalobah, Loftus-Cheek, Matic, Batshuayi.

Stoke: Grant; Johnson, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Diouf, Adam, Affelay, Pieters; Allen, Shaqiri, Crouch.
Subs: Given, Bardsley, Sobhi, Imbula, Whelan, Bojan, Bony.