KEY POINTS

  • Michy Batshuayi expected to come in for Diego Costa.
  • Kurt Zouma to play for the senior team for the first time since February.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will use Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash with Peterborough to hand a rare start to summer signing Michy Batshuayi.

The Blues begin their FA Cup campaign at Stamford Bridge after a gruelling festive period, which ended with them losing their 13-match winning streak in defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

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Conte is keen to use Sunday's match to rest some of his first-team players, namely Diego Costa, who has featured in but one of Chelsea's league games this season – missing the Boxing Day win over Bournemouth through suspension.

The Chelsea boss is keen to hand opportunities to some of his fringe players, including Batshuayi, whose last starting appearance for the club was against West Ham United in the EFL Cup back in October.

"I have a good opportunity in this game to see Michy from the start. This is important. Diego is playing a lot," Conte told a press conference. "I think it could be a good opportunity for Michy to show me his progress."

Conte also revealed Kurt Zouma is now fit to return to first-team action. The defender has not played a senior game since he was stretchered off in a league match against Manchester United last February with a cruciate ligament rupture.

Michy Batshuayi
Batshuayi has not started a game for Chelsea in over two months. Getty

Zouma has played for the club's Under-23 ranks this season and has been named on the bench in the team's last five games, but is expected to start against Peterborough.

"He is ready to start, I am pleased for him. He deserves this, it is a good opportunity for him. His injury was very bad. I knew this, I talked with my club about it in May. For this reason we knew he needed more time.

"But he is in good shape, he is ready to play and resume his career."

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