Chelsea's Fabregas makes 1st start since September vs. City

Antonio Conte welcomed Cesc Fabregas back into the starting lineup Saturday for Chelsea's trip to Manchester City due to what could be an undisclosed injury to Nemanja Matic.

The weekend's curtain raiser marks Fabregas' second league start this season, with his previous selection from the first whistle of a competitive fixture coming Sept. 24, when Chelsea was soundly beaten 3-0 by Arsenal. It also reacquaints the Spaniard with City boss Pep Guardiola, for whom he played under for 48 appearances at Barcelona.

That defeat to Arsenal prompted Conte to change from a 4-2-3-1 setup to a 3-4-3, and Chelsea won the following seven matches while only changing personnel once: when Willian started ahead of Pedro in the first game in that streak.

Fabregas would provide an additional attacking outlet through the middle because of his eye for incisive passes, but Matic's potential loss could leave the Blues defensively susceptible in the middle of the park while he's unavailable.

Manchester City, meanwhile, has opted for a side that'll likely assume a 3-2-4-1 shape, with Jesus Navas and Leroy Sane chosen to man the flanks. Nolito's exclusion from the squad altogether is a surprise, but the lingering doubts over Raheem Sterling's fitness over the week have resulted in the England winger behind eliminated from the matchday throng too.

Chelsea begins the latest round of Premier League clashes top of the pile on 31 points, with City sharing second place with Liverpool on 30 points.