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Team News: Chelsea make two changes for Manchester City meeting, Diego Costa stats

Jose Mourinho makes two alterations to his starting lineup for the visit to face Manchester City, while Manuel Pellegrini rings the changes to his side.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has made two changes to his side for this afternoon's Premier League meeting with Manchester City.

In-form striker Diego Costa returns to the side in place of Didier Drogba, while Cesar Azpilicueta is preferred to Filipe Luis at left-back.

Meanwhile, Manuel Pellegrini has handed Eliaquim Mangala his City debut, with Vincent Kompany the only visiting defender to retain his place in the starting lineup from the 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich last time out.

James Milner and Sergio Aguero also return to the side, while Chelsea legend Frank Lampard is among the City subs.

CheIsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Matic, Willian, Fabregas, Hazard, Diego Costa
Subs: Cech, Filipe Luis, Mikel, Oscar, Schurrle, Remy, Drogba

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov, Milner, Toure, Fernandinho, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko
Subs: Caballero, Sagna, Clichy, Demichelis, Lampard, Navas, Nasri

Today's game at the Etihad Stadium pits together the two favourites for the league title, and you can follow the action live with Sports Mole by clicking here.

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Chelsea's Brazilian-born Spanish striker Diego Costa (R) celebrates scoring with teammate Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic during the English Premier League football match against Swansea on September 13, 2014
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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