Chelsea vs Swansea, Premier League 2015/16: Where to watch live, preview, betting odds and possible XI

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Diego Costa's fitness will be key to Chelsea's title hopes Getty Images

Chelsea host Swansea in the Premier League on 8 August as the champions look to start the season on a high in a bid to defend their league title.

Where to Watch Live

Kick-off is set for 5:30pm BST. Live coverage of the game will be on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD.

Overview

Chelsea are overwhelming favourites among bookies to reclaim their title after the clubs around them failed to strengthen much this summer. Arsenal, who are believed to be their nearest challengers, have bought only Petr Cech, which is undoubtedly a major improvement on their goalkeeping options while Manchester United are set to lose David de Gea and are yet to land a replacement for Angel di Maria.

Manchester City have only bought Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling, and are in the market for a couple of more players this summer. However, Chelsea's only problem will be their pre-season form and the fitness of Diego Costa, who was ruled out in their game against Arsenal with a hamstring problem. The striker missed a major part of the second half of last season through injury but Mourinho needs him to be fit for the start, especially with Radamel Falcao and Loic Remy yet to live up to expectations.

Mourinho is expected to field the same squad which started against Arsenal, with Costa slotting into the squad should he be deemed fit to start.

Gary Monk has been adjudged by a lot as the manager of the campaign last season, pulling off doubles over Arsenal and United in their four meetings in the league. The Swans have been tipped for a top-seven finish by a lot of pundits in England and their performance against a Chelsea side, who are yet to get into the groove, will speak a lot about their credentials going into the season.

What Managers Say

Jose Mourinho: "He's doing very well and the club is doing magnificently, Garry's got a good team already but he's improved the team. It's a very good team and he's a very good young manager at a club that I admire a lot. I left the Premier League [in 2007] with Swansea in the Championship. I came back to England a few years later with Swansea not only in the Premier League but a stable and strong club in the Premier League."

Gary Monk: "People speak about young British managers. I speak only about British. There are no young and old for me. I am happy with this. It is too easy to be a foreign manager and to come to England. Before it was very difficult - you had to do a lot before you won the right. When I came here for the first time, I came because I had done well. Now, I think people forget British managers and change them for other people that you don't know how they get here. It makes me happy that Garry, Eddie Howe and Alex Neil are here. But there is also Steve McClaren, Alan Pardew, Tim Sherwood, Tony Pulis. It is a good situation."

Betting Odds