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Torres starts for Chelsea

ESPN staff
March 29, 2014
Fernando Torres starts his 24th game of the season © Getty Images
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Fernando Torres will lead the line for Chelsea at Crystal Palace after in-form Samuel Eto'o failed to recover from a thigh strain.

Eto'o has been the preferred choice from Jose Mourinho for much of the season - the veteran Cameroonian has scored eight times in 19 Premier League games, compared to Torres' four in 23.

But Eto'o hobbled off after just nine minutes of last week's 6-0 drubbing of Arsenal - having already notched one and made one - and Mourinho has opted for Torres over Demba Ba.

And perhaps with one eye on Wednesday's Champions League tie with PSG, Mourinho has rested Oscar, with Schurrle preferred.

Crystal Palace starting XI: Speroni, Mariappa, Dann, Delaney, Ward, Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Puncheon, Ledley, Bolasie, Jerome Substitutes: Hennessey, Parr, McCarthy, O'Keefe, Bannan, Ince, Murray

Chelsea starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Matic, Lampard, Schurrle, Hazard, Torres Substitutes: Hilario, Kalas, Mikel, Willian, Salah, Oscar, Ba

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