Chelsea are increasingly looking the part as the new Invincibles as they look to their returning goalscoring predator Diego Costa to maintain their serene progress against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. While Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has ruled out the historic prospect at such an early stage of the season, there is growing belief his squad is strong enough to finish the season unbeaten, thus emulating Arsenal's unbeaten season of 2003/2004. If they avoid defeat tomorrow, they will be a quarter of the way to achieving the feat, with bookmakers rating it still as a 10-1 shot. TEAM NEWS Striker Diego Costa is available for Chelsea's Barclays Premier League clash with QPR on Saturday after missing four matches with a hamstring injury. Striker Loic Remy (groin) and midfielder John Obi Mikel (foot) are out, but Ramires is back from a groin problem to bolster the midfield. Branislav Ivanovic is available following his suspension for his dismissal at Manchester United, but fellow full-back Cesar Azpilicueta is banned for the last of three games following his sending off at Crystal Palace. Harry Redknapp could call upon QPR's misfit midfielder Adel Taarabt for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Chelsea after the duo patched up their public spat. The Rangers boss has refused to rule out pitching the Morocco playmaker back into action with Jordon Mutch and Joey Barton not back in full training until next week following hamstring problems. Taarabt has apologised to Redknapp after biting back when his manager branded him about three stone overweight. MANAGER QUOTES Jose Mourinho: What they did before is not important. What they can do tomorrow is more important. I think I know what I can expect from them, and I think I can, in a very simple way, say it will be a very difficult game for us. Why [can’t QPR win against Chelsea]? They did in the past. They did recently. Why shouldn’t they expect?” Harry Redknapp: He (Adel Taarabt) apologised (for the public fall-out). He knows what he said wasn’t right but people put him up to it like most things. We had a great chat. He admitted he needed to get fitter. He wants to get back in the team. That’s all I needed to hear from him. He worked very hard that morning. I wouldn’t hesitate to put him in. He can turn a game” MATCH BUZZ Tweet MATCH FACTS Chelsea have failed to score in three of the last four Premier League games against west London rivals QPR. QPR’s last visit to Stamford Bridge saw QPR win 1-0 thanks to former Blues player Shaun Wright-Phillips (January 2013). Cesc Fabregas has been involved in nine goals (one goal, eight assists) in nine league games for Chelsea. Queens Park Rangers have won just one of their last 18 away trips to rival London clubs in the Premier League (D3 L14). Harry Redknapp has lost just one of his last six Premier League clashes with Chelsea (W2 D3). However, he has seen his teams lose all five league clashes with Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. In their last 12 league matches at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have kept 10 clean sheets and conceded just four goals in total. The last time a side in the Premier League relegation zone went to the home of the league leaders and won was September 2001 (Southampton beating Sam Allardyce’s Bolton 1-0). Since then, the league leaders have won 24 of their 26 home matches against a side in the relegation zone (D2). Charlie Austin has scored 23 league goals for QPR since the beginning of last season (incl. play-offs); 17 more than any other player (Ravel Morrison – 6). Steven Caulker is the only QPR player to have started every league game so far this season. By contrast, seven of Chelsea’s players have started each and every PL game so far; a joint-league high with Southampton. MUST-SEE VIDEO FANTASY PICK Diego Costa (Chelsea): Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Diego Costa will be ready for selection as QPR make the trip across West London. 'Ready for selection' almost certainly means that the Spaniard will start the fixture, and after nine goals in his opening seven games he'll be keen to add to his tally. MATCH BUZZ Tweet MATCH ODDS Chelsea 2/11, Draw 15/2, QPR 20/1
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 11:38:05 +0000
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