Chelsea have not enjoyed the best of starts at home this season and face their biggest test yet on Saturday with the visit of free-scoring leaders Manchester City (7.30pm).
Antonio Conte’s Premier League champions suffered a shock defeat by Burnley on the opening day of the season at Stamford Bridge, and despite a 2-0 win over Everton two weeks later, home fans were left frustrated when Arsenal ground out a 0-0 draw earlier this month.
On the road it has been plain sailing for the Blues, who lie third in the table after picking up three away wins out of three and scoring eight goals in the process.
But when it comes to goals, it is City that lead the way with Pep Guardiola’s side finding the back of the net 21 times already this season and conceding only twice to top the table with 16 points.
Star striker Sergio Aguero however has been injured in a road accident in the Netherlands and was examined by doctors when he returned on Friday, the club said.
Media reports said the 29-year-old, who has scored six goals in six league appearances this season, was in Amsterdam for a concert on Thursday night and was the passenger in a taxi that crashed into a street pole.
Addressing the incident in Friday’s pre-match press conference, City manager Pep Guardiola said: “Aguero has had an accident in Amsterdam. I am not a doctor. He will come back and recover ASAP.
“No I have not spoken with Aguero yet. I have been preparing training. I will speak to him today. First impression is he has broken his rib.”
Guardiola also said that £52 million defender Benjamin Mendy underwent an operation in Barcelona to repair his anterior cruciate ligament “and will be out until the time of the Champions League semi-finals.”
Chelsea new-boy Alvaro Morata meanwhile has been among the goals, having struck six times in the league since his transfer from Real Madrid.
With the London club announcing the sale of Diego Costa to Real’s city rivals Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, Morata will be relied on even more to spearhead Chelsea’s title defence.
The Spanish 24-year-old scored in Chelsea’s last-gasp 2-1 Champions League win over Atletico on Wednesday, while City were hardly troubled in their 2-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk the previous day.
The weekend’s action kicks off with fourth-place Tottenham travelling to newcomers Huddersfield Town (2.30pm), with Spurs looking to win their fourth successive away match.
Saturday also features Crystal Palace against Manchester United at Old Trafford (5pm). Roy Hodgson’s side are still searching for their first goals and points of the season.
A day later, Arsenal can keep up their resurgence when they welcome Brighton and Hove Albion in the early kick-off (2pm).
Should Arsenal triumph against the Seagulls, Arsene Wenger will surpass Sir Alex Ferguson’s record of defeating 44 different Premier League opponents.
Burnley travel to Goodison Park to take on Ronald Koeman’s struggling Everton side (4.15pm), before Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez faces old club Liverpool in the final match of the weekend on Sunday (6.30pm).
