Costa, Kante to miss Boxing Day match after picking up 5th yellow cards

Chelsea is getting the full Diego Costa experience against Crystal Palace.

The Brazilian-born Spanish striker will miss the Blues' next match, against Bournemouth on Dec. 26, after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the opening half of Saturday's trip to Selhurst Park.

Costa, 28, got off to an inauspicious start to the campaign, with four yellow cards in his first six matches, but then managed to go without a booking for ten consecutive games prior to his latest transgression.

The in-form frontman made up for his gaffe right before the half-time whistle, however, when he rose above the Palace defence to head in the opening goal of the match in the 43rd minute.

This latest tally brings Costa's league-leading total to 13 goals in only 17 matches.

With his dominant forward sidelined, manager Antonio Conte will likely call upon summer signing Michy Batshuayi for the Boxing Day visit of the Cherries.

The Italian gaffer will need to make adjustments in midfield as well, as tenacious tackling machine N'Golo Kante was also shown his fifth booking of the year, and will thus join Costa on the sidelines come Dec. 26.