Chelsea vs. Peterborough United: FA Cup 2017 Team News, Live Stream, TV Info
Premier League leaders Chelsea begin their FA Cup adventure for another season as they welcome Peterborough United to Stamford Bridge for their third-round encounter on Sunday.
The Posh have performed valiantly this term and reside just outside the play-off places in League One.
The match marks Antonio Conte's first game in English football's famous domestic cup competition, as he seeks further success after a lightning start to his tenure in west London.
Here is how you can watch the tie:
Date: Sunday, Jan. 8
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London, England
TV Info: Fox Sports 2 (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go (U.S. only)
Preview
Chelsea will be licking their wounds after a rare defeat in the Premier League was inflicted on them by Tottenham Hotspur in their most recent contest.
The Blues missed out on creating Premier League history as they fell at the final hurdle before they could a new record for consecutive victories in the competition, but the Blues were short of their best at White Hart Lane and well beaten by a maturing Spurs side.
Diego Costa and Eden Hazard failed to influence proceedings as Conte's men hunted a way back into the match, and for once Chelsea appeared short of the courage needed to grab their elusive 14th straight league win.
Conte is sure to take stock as Peterborough roll into west London, and he will not want to be the victim of a famous FA Cup shock at the hands of Grant McCann's outfit.
The Posh have previously been a mid-table team in the Championship and have the ability to cause the Blues problems on Sunday afternoon.
McCann has taken advantage of the transfer window to bring in defender Dominic Ball on loan from Rotherham until the end of the campaign, according to BBC Sport. The solid 21-year-old previously played for Tottenham and will add an extra option to the side in the coming weeks.
West Ham midfielder Martin Samuelsen has rejoined Peterborough on loan after spending a large portion of last year at the Posh.
According to BBC Sport, the teenager—who is a full international for Norway—scored twice in 20 appearances for Peterborough last season and is eligible to feature against Chelsea.
Conte has tried to play down his team's defeat at Spurs and cut his team some slack when assessing their performance.
Phil McNulty of BBC Sport quoted the Italian manager as saying:
"I saw a game with a great balance. It is not easy to play against Tottenham. But we played with a good personality to create the chances to score a goal, but we could not take them.
It is strange for us to concede these goals because we are defending well, and they are in a crucial moment. At the end of the first half and then in the second half after we miss the chances to score, but this can happen.
We must work hard and be pleased with our position in the table, but know this league is tough until the end for the Champions League, for the title.
"
Truthfully, Chelsea were short of their clinical best, and they appeared tired and weary before producing a response in the match.
Conte is likely to rest a number of individuals for the FA Cup tie, but with the chasing pack gaining on Chelsea's lead in the league, he must make sure his side can get the job done against unfamiliar and unpredictable opposition.
Peterborough will arrive to play the role of giantkillers, and the pantomime of the cup will suit the script they wish to follow.
Chelsea's best plan would be to rip the heart out of their opponents' challenge in the first half and canter to victory as Costa and Hazard earn a rest.
The FA Cup is a realistic target for Conte this term, but as a coach, he has not witnessed the magic of this competition firsthand.
Anything can happen in the English cup, and we are usually treated to a host of spectacular results.
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