Courtois misses out on Manchester United clash
If Chelsea is going to get a result Sunday at Manchester United to keep surging Tottenham at bay, it will have to do so without first-choice shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois.
Bosnian international Asmir Begovic will start in Courtois' stead, with the Belgian not travelling with the squad while hampered with a reported ankle concern, Chelsea confirmed an hour prior to kick-off.
Courtois, 24, was reportedly injured in training at the club's Cobham facility and was a late scratch from Antonio Conte's first team for Sunday's crucial clash at Old Trafford.
Chelsea team today: Begovic; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c); Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Diego Costa, Hazard. #MUNCHE
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 16, 2017
The towering Genk product has started all 31 of the Blues' league fixtures this season, pairing a division-best 13 clean sheets with a scant 25 goals conceded.
With Courtois missing out on Sunday's Lancashire visit, Chelsea will hope that the 48-time capped international is fit for next Saturday's FA Cup semi-final tilt with Tottenham at Wembley.
Begovic started Chelsea's first three FA Cup wins over Peterborough, Brentford, and Wolves, though Conte flipped the script in March, naming Courtois to the starting XI for the 1-0 quarter-final win over United.