LONDON (Sporting Alert) — Jose Mourinho has handed a starting position to Kevin De Bruyne, who makes his English Premier League debut for Chelsea in today’s clash with Hull City at Stamford Bridge.
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De Bruyne has been very impressive in preseason and Mourinho, returning to the EPL after almost six-years, has decided to reward the young and talented Belgian winger with a starting place in his opener.
Fernando Torres has won the battle of the strikers and he gets the starting place to lead the attack, with Eden Hazard, Oscar, Ramirez and Frank Lampard also starting as well.
Romelu Lukaku will feel a little unlucky to be sitting on the bench, but is expected to play some part for Chelsea today with Demba Ba also a substitute. Marco van Ginkel, Andre Schurrle, and Juan Mata are all on the bench as well.
Leading defender and captain John Terry leads a backline that also includes Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic.
Meanwhile, visiting manager Steve Bruce has handed debuts to four players, as goalkeeper Allan McGregor, Danny Graham, Yannick Sagbo and Maynor Figueroa all start.
Fellow newcomers Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore start this game on the bench.
Chelsea v Hull City
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Ramirez, Lampard; De Bruyne, Oscar, Hazard; Torres.
Subs: Schwarzer, Essien, Van Ginkel, Schurrle, Mata, Ba, Lukaku.
Hull City: McGregor, Figueroa, Elmohamady, Chester, Davies, Meyler, Koren, Brady, Aluko, Sagbo, Graham.
Subs: Harper, Rosenior, McShane, Livermore, Huddlestone, Boyd, Bruce.
Referee: Jon Moss
