Chelsea v Swansea line-ups: Costa starts, Falcao on bench, Swans man out

Diego Costa starts up front for Chelsea against Swansea despite missing the last two pre-season fixtures with his ongoing hamstring injury.

Summer signing Radamel Falcao and fellow striker Loic Remy are both among the substitutes.

Cesc Fabragas and Nemanja Matic are the deep-lying midfield duo, with Oscar playing as the number ten and Willian and Eden Hazard on the flanks.

Swansea’s Jordi Amat misses out because of a foot problem but new signing Andre Ayew starts.

Chelsea were the only side in England’s top four divisions to go through the entire 2014/15 undefeated at home in the league.

The run included a 4-2 home win over Swansea in the early stages of the campaign and a thumping 5-0 victory in the reverse victory.

Costa scored five goals in the two games, netting a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge in September and a double in January.

Chelsea: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Diego Costa.
Subs: Begovic, Zouma, Ramires, Mikel, Moses, Remy, Falcao.

Swansea: Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor, Ki Sung-Yueng, Shelvey, Sigurdsson, Ayew, Montero, Gomis.
Subs: Nordfeldt, Rangel, Bartley, Tabanou, Cork, Routledge, Eder.

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